Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta, known as the City of Students and home to many university students, has become a fertile ground for retail businesses. Household goods, including boarding house supplies, are highly sought-after commodities.
It’s no surprise that two of Indonesia’s most popular national chain minimarket brands have opened many outlets in areas with many campuses and are popular destinations for students from various cities.
Amidst the crush of these two retail giants, several local supermarkets exist. They’ve actually been present in the Jogja retail market long before modern minimarkets arrived.
Amidst these pressures, local supermarkets have not only survived but also thrived because their names have been firmly embedded in the minds of Yogyakarta residents for decades.
One of them is Mirota Kampus, which has now changed its name to Manna Kampus. This supermarket is well-known not only among Yogyakarta residents but also among students, as its outlets are located near several campuses.
“Manna Kampus, formerly Mirota Kampus, was founded on May 13, 1985. Now, we have reached 40 years,” said Manna Kampus Public Relations Manager, Andreas Probo Heri Saputro when met by detikJogja at his office, Tuesday (16/9/2025).
Mirota Kampus was originally established in 1985 in the Babarsari area, near the campuses of the National Education University (UPN) Veteran and Atma Jaya University (UAJY). This has given the supermarket a strong brand presence among students.
Meanwhile, a second outlet opened in the Terban area, just a stone’s throw from the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Main Building. The target market is also the same: students. Now, after 40 years, Mirota, also known as Manna Kampus, has 10 outlets, consisting of seven supermarkets and three minimarkets.
Another supermarket, Pamella, is even more established than Mirota Kampus. This local Jogja supermarket started out as a small shop on Jalan Kusumanegara. Now, in its 50th year, Pamella has nine outlets in Jogja and the surrounding areas.
This supermarket was founded by Sunardi Syahuri and Noor Liesnani Pamella. The wife’s last name was used for the stall, which originally sold kites and fishing rods.
“The capital was Rp. 250 thousand, or at that time the value of 10 grams of gold,” Pamella recalled.
The money came from debts and proceeds from selling wedding gifts. Who would have thought that Pamella would now become a lucrative business, despite the presence of well-capitalized competitors in the Yogyakarta retail market.
Besides these two well-known brands in Yogyakarta’s bustling centers, there are still a number of local supermarkets that have chosen to operate in the suburbs. One of them is DM Baru Swalayan.
This local supermarket dominates the Bantul area. DM Baru owns seven outlets.
Unfortunately, the management of DM Baru was not yet willing to share their story. One management representative said they didn’t have time for an interview.
Becoming a Memory of Jogja Campus Alumni
Jogja’s local supermarkets are apparently not just a choice for residents and students. They also serve as a memento for those who once studied in the City of Gudeg.
“When we were students, we only knew Mirota Kampus and Pamella. Modern minimarkets didn’t exist yet,” said Khairunnisa Wardani, a 1993 alumna of the UGM Faculty of Medicine.
The woman who is now working as a pediatrician in Wonogiri admitted that she has special memories of the local supermarket, especially Mirota Kampus.
When he first set foot in Yogyakarta, he found a boarding house in the Karangwuni area. The room he found had only a bed and a wardrobe, no additional furniture.
She then searched for information on where to buy a complete selection of boarding house necessities. One of her relatives recommended Mirota Kampus, located on Jalan C Simanjuntak.
“I remember it very well. That same day I and my boarding house friends walked about 5 kilometers to shop there,” he said.
“Back in college, we didn’t have motorbikes. We walked everywhere or rode a Kopata if we didn’t have an Aspada,” he recalled.
After shopping, he usually walks around Kopma UGM for lunch.
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