metal warehouse in the heart of the city
If you are a first-time tourist visiting Can Tho, you will probably find it interesting to discover an iron market located right in the city center, just a few minutes walk from Ben Ninh Kieu. As for the people of the West, or more precisely, the people of the West who love to search for metal materials, this market is no different from a "treasure".
What I realized was that just passing by the An Lac iron market, I heard the sound of metal colliding with leng keng, sometimes the sound of cutting machines, mixed with the luxurious voices of traders. Hundreds, thousands of items from long steel bars to small screws are spread close together on the floor, on the walls are chains, locks, fulcrums, pull-ups of all kinds, all kinds of sizes, not to mention other specialized equipment, ... all of which give off the smell of engine oil, the characteristic rusty smell, like the "flavors of handicrafts" of manual laborers.
The veterans said that the predecessor of the An Lac iron market came from a spontaneous market specializing in trading scrap and used metal, formed in the 80s of the 20th century. This period marked the transformation of the local economy after the war, when the demand for construction materials and production tools increased.
1990 marked an important turning point when the market was officially planned to become a metal gathering point with about 100 business lots. Since then, the market has naturally become a center for supplying important industrial supplies, not only for Can Tho but also for the whole region.
Mr. Nam Huui (50 years old, a trader who has been attached to An Lac iron market for many years) humorously told us: "I can't buy any dish here." The happy saying really captures the glamorous story of a trader from Tay Do.
Before I could give my response, he added: "Here, we mainly attract strong buyers, because iron-related items are often sought after by men to repair and recycle machinery, such as cars, fans, weeder cutters, etc. If we find it unreasonable to bring home, they will run here to look for more, and there will be satisfactory dishes of any size".
Just like that, purchasing power increased day by day, delegates in the period of 2000 - 2010, the bustling market attracted more visitors from Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang. For those who buy in large quantities, traders also charge wholesale prices and consider them as a matter of concern.
Transforming to adapt
Over time, the familiar destination of the Western meniscus has not been able to overcome time as science and technology have developed, and the need to repair equipment is not as high as before. Not to mention that some people who need these spare parts have switched to online shopping because of the eye-catching designs and preferential prices.
Ms. Truong Quynh Thanh (47 years old) further analyzed: "In modern society, people do many different jobs, especially young people, just need to touch the phone screen to deliver a new item, not need these materials".
According to Ms. Thanh, up to this point, the number of visitors is estimated to have decreased by 70%. Mr. Huynh Phuoc Hieu (55 years old) shared: "Now I mainly sell to regular customers".
Faced with the difficult situation, some traders have stopped doing business, some try to stick to their profession to serve customers, and some have switched to selling more online to keep up with the trend.
A prominent problem of An Lac iron market over the years is the very narrow road to the market. On both sides, many kiosks displaying goods spilled onto the road, making it very difficult for people to travel. Most buyers drive into the market, carelessly parking on the road, making the road even narrower, making households in the market area very upset. The local government of Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city (previously) has also considered relocation many times but has not been able to do so yet.
However, An Lac iron market is still an important link in the supply chain of mechanical supplies in Can Tho in particular and the West in general. The existence of the market tells the story of a business form that was once developed and welcomed by consumers.
