[Watch] Hidden RM50 Vouchers, Lost Slippers And Train To Busan: Inside Malaysia’s Wildest Thrift Store Opening
The grand opening of JBR Bundle’s ninth outlet at Lotus’s Seremban Jaya drew chaotic scenes, with crowds rushing in the moment the doors opened to hunt for hidden vouchers and rare vintage finds.
- Shoppers stampeded JBR Bundle's massive 32,000 sq ft Seremban opening, chasing hidden RM50 vouchers and rare vintage bargains on launch day.
- Malaysia's thrift market is quietly splitting into tiers, from budget chains to curated boutiques with cafes, suggesting demand remains strong despite saturation fears.
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Throngs of shoppers stormed a newly opened thrift store in Seremban, with viral videos showing crowds sprinting through the entrance the moment the doors opened, leaving behind scattered slippers and hats in the rush.
The scenes unfolded at the grand opening of JBR Bundle’s ninth outlet at Lotus’s Seremban Jaya on Saturday (4 July) at 10 am — billed as the largest thrift store in any Lotus’s Malaysia location at 32,000 sq ft.
Videos circulating on social media drew comparisons to stampede scenes from the Korean zombie film Train to Busan, with commenters describing the turnout as a “riot.”
Store staff were seen standing behind counters as shoppers tore through clothing racks, grabbing armfuls of items without checking sizes or styles.
@serembanpage Grand opening JBR BUNDLE @Lotus Seremban Jaya #gempak 🎥 Shamim Osman 📲 Follow us on Instagram #serembanpages #serembanpage TikTok, Threads and Telegram #seremban #serembangroup ♬ original sound – serembanpage
The Method Behind The Madness
JBR Bundle had seeded the store with “Treasure Tickets” — RM50 vouchers hidden across the 32,000 sq ft floor — ahead of the opening, rewarding the first shoppers to find them.
The chain is also known for stocking rare, high-value vintage clothing at discounted prices on opening day, drawing resellers and collectors alongside regular shoppers looking for bargains.
The footage drew a split response on social media.
Some criticised the aggressive behaviour and expressed sympathy for staff who would have to refold and reorganise the store after the rush.
Others called it a win for resellers hunting rare vintage items to flip for profit.
JBR Bundle now operates nine outlets across Malaysia; the Seremban Jaya branch is its largest to date.
Prices at JBR Bundle start from as low as RM2 for clearance bin items, scale through RM10 to RM30 for branded everyday wear, and climb to RM200 or more for rare vintage pieces — meaning what you pay depends almost entirely on what you find.
@myshoppingmall Lotuss Seremban Jaya JBR Bundle grand opening today 4 July 2026
♬ original sound – Malaysia Shopping Mall
Too Many Bundle Shops?
The Seremban opening reignited a familiar online debate: whether Malaysia already has too many thrift stores.
It is a fair observation on the surface; bundle shops have multiplied rapidly across the country in recent years, with new outlets opening in shopping malls, shophouses, and standalone warehouses at a pace that has made the format feel ubiquitous.
But the stampede at JBR Bundle’s ninth outlet suggests the demand is keeping up.
Industry observers note that the market has quietly split into distinct tiers rather than simply piling up.
Large-volume chains like JBR Bundle and Family Bundle cater to budget-conscious families looking for everyday wear and household items, while mid-range franchises like 2nd Street Malaysia target younger shoppers hunting for Japanese streetwear or reliable basics.
Not Just Cheap — Curated
At the top end, niche vintage sellers — operating through Instagram pages, weekend car boot sales, and pop-up markets — focus on rare, high-value pieces for collectors and serious resellers.
Each tier serves a different shopper with a different budget and a different motivation, and the crowding at the bottom does not necessarily squeeze the top.
What is changing, however, is the experience.
A new wave of thrift boutiques is rebranding the format entirely — some, like Akiqlo Thrift Store in Puncak Alam, pair curated vintage clothing with in-store cafes, turning a budget shopping trip into a lifestyle outing.
Whether that is the future of thrifting in Malaysia or simply a niche experiment remains to be seen.
For now, the lost slippers on the floor of a 32,000 sq ft store in Seremban suggest the old-fashioned stampede model still has plenty of life left in it.
@nrullfatihah Yayy finally i ada spot thrift baru dekat area Puncak Alam !! @Akiqlo#thrift #uitmpuncakalam #CapCut ♬ Masa – NAKI
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