TreasureCity Departmental Store
By Brunei Times Newspaper dated 21st February 2011
TreasureCity Departmental Store owner, Mohan Sajnani, explaining the uses of crystals at his shop at Complex Sutera, Kg Delima Satu in Serusop.
FOR crystal seller, Mohan Sajnani, turning his passion into a business was more of a whim, but three years on, TreasureCity Departmental Store, remains a veritable treasure trove of crystals and gemstones for those who stumble across the unassuming shop in Serusop.
From the age of about 14, Mohan began his love for crystals, beginning first out of curiosity. "I read about crystals, and from that time, it was so profound. You hear stories (and) it's just too fantastic in a way. So I went into it deeper, read about it, talked about it with friends, start collecting, things like that."
Stoking the fires of a now lifelong passion, Mohan says that the business really came about to "kill time" as he got older. "Now that my children are overseas in the States, so it's just my wife and myself, so we decided to do something that can kill time. So I got into my hobby, she got into her hobby.
"We've been in business since birth," he jokes, of how TreasureCity Delima came to be, and says the formula for success is pretty simple. "One, whatever you do that you have passion in and love, chances are it will be successful. I enjoy doing what I am doing."
TreasureCity Departmental Store is true to its name, with hundreds of crystals of every shape, size and type lining the walls and floor of the modest store.
Mohan touts, "We have the biggest selection in Brunei (and) get the (crystals) through Singapore via a Brazilian company."
The crystals are priced from as low as $8 and upwards, he says that consumers won't feel the pinch as much as buying crystals from other countries. "Our prices in Brunei are lower, comparatively to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, because here in Brunei the population is small so the people who would like to know about crystals are a smaller group. If you sell it too expensive, (the business) will become a museum, they just come in, see and goodbye. It's too expensive for their pockets."
Mohan says he's not in the business for the money, noting he sells crystals to help others. But he also says he has profited from the business. "As far as I'm concerned, when you grow old, you have to book a reservation ticket for lao ting (God), right? So if you do good, help other people, there will be a little bit of leeway," he jokes.
In this respect, he adds, selling people the right crystals for their homes is good work done.
From the age of about 14, Mohan began his love for crystals, beginning first out of curiosity. "I read about crystals, and from that time, it was so profound. You hear stories (and) it's just too fantastic in a way. So I went into it deeper, read about it, talked about it with friends, start collecting, things like that."
Stoking the fires of a now lifelong passion, Mohan says that the business really came about to "kill time" as he got older. "Now that my children are overseas in the States, so it's just my wife and myself, so we decided to do something that can kill time. So I got into my hobby, she got into her hobby.
"We've been in business since birth," he jokes, of how TreasureCity Delima came to be, and says the formula for success is pretty simple. "One, whatever you do that you have passion in and love, chances are it will be successful. I enjoy doing what I am doing."
TreasureCity Departmental Store is true to its name, with hundreds of crystals of every shape, size and type lining the walls and floor of the modest store.
Mohan touts, "We have the biggest selection in Brunei (and) get the (crystals) through Singapore via a Brazilian company."
The crystals are priced from as low as $8 and upwards, he says that consumers won't feel the pinch as much as buying crystals from other countries. "Our prices in Brunei are lower, comparatively to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, because here in Brunei the population is small so the people who would like to know about crystals are a smaller group. If you sell it too expensive, (the business) will become a museum, they just come in, see and goodbye. It's too expensive for their pockets."
Mohan says he's not in the business for the money, noting he sells crystals to help others. But he also says he has profited from the business. "As far as I'm concerned, when you grow old, you have to book a reservation ticket for lao ting (God), right? So if you do good, help other people, there will be a little bit of leeway," he jokes.
In this respect, he adds, selling people the right crystals for their homes is good work done.
With regards to competition, Mohan is not overly worried. "When we talk about Brunei, you know whatever line of business you want to go into, the less competition in that respect, in that field, you're more comfortable," he says.
Although there are a handful of shops in the market, he does not see them as a threat, even foreign businesses which bring in imitation crystals and gems for sale by the dozen and at much cheaper prices.
"To me, it's bad. So I want them to differentiate what's real, and educate people in regards to the usage of crystals."
Timing is also important, as Mohan notes that he would not have started his business 10 years ago when there was still some stigma about crystals. "Sometimes when you talk about crystals, sometimes you talk about occult science, right? So what's happened in the past seven, eight years, a lot of feng shui masters have come to Brunei, they have explained to the people that's all just natural energy, the aura, it has nothing to do with religion, then it became very comfortable."
He says the most important thing to have in his line of business is knowledge. "There are a lot of places where my customers tell me, when they go and buy something, they (vendors) just give a very short note and that's it. They don't tell you more. Whereas in my case here, I do take the trouble to explain to them what they should do."
With the majority of his customers of Malay ethnicity (around 80 per cent), Mohan says the remaining 20 per cent are usually of Chinese origins. "In that respect, they are beginning to understand that these crystals have (their) own energy."
Many return, with positive feedback on the crystals, he adds, saying frankly, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be around still. This is my third year now, so if the thing wasn't good or wasn't helpful, then I would be a dead duck."
Mohan says he has no concrete plans for future expansions, but is saving the business for his son who is a jewellery designer. "That's a bit hard to say. My son is in jewellery, but gems diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, all the high-end (stones). We're getting old so if he does come back to open up a business here, this will be the starting point so to say."
That is the intention, "but with the market being at the moment being sort of slow, so that will be a bit of a delay", he says.
Although there are a handful of shops in the market, he does not see them as a threat, even foreign businesses which bring in imitation crystals and gems for sale by the dozen and at much cheaper prices.
"To me, it's bad. So I want them to differentiate what's real, and educate people in regards to the usage of crystals."
Timing is also important, as Mohan notes that he would not have started his business 10 years ago when there was still some stigma about crystals. "Sometimes when you talk about crystals, sometimes you talk about occult science, right? So what's happened in the past seven, eight years, a lot of feng shui masters have come to Brunei, they have explained to the people that's all just natural energy, the aura, it has nothing to do with religion, then it became very comfortable."
He says the most important thing to have in his line of business is knowledge. "There are a lot of places where my customers tell me, when they go and buy something, they (vendors) just give a very short note and that's it. They don't tell you more. Whereas in my case here, I do take the trouble to explain to them what they should do."
With the majority of his customers of Malay ethnicity (around 80 per cent), Mohan says the remaining 20 per cent are usually of Chinese origins. "In that respect, they are beginning to understand that these crystals have (their) own energy."
Many return, with positive feedback on the crystals, he adds, saying frankly, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be around still. This is my third year now, so if the thing wasn't good or wasn't helpful, then I would be a dead duck."
Mohan says he has no concrete plans for future expansions, but is saving the business for his son who is a jewellery designer. "That's a bit hard to say. My son is in jewellery, but gems diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, all the high-end (stones). We're getting old so if he does come back to open up a business here, this will be the starting point so to say."
That is the intention, "but with the market being at the moment being sort of slow, so that will be a bit of a delay", he says.