Along Monivong Boulevard, one of the two major north-south streets in Phnom Penh, there is a section where dozens of small tables are set up, almost side-by-side, all prepared to take orders for small printing jobs and name cards. Today I happened down a small intersecting street and there was an even greater density of these small shops. The business strategy behind 40-50 tables, one after the other, all selling the same product, escapes me. I can't imagine that any of them make any money.
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Each of the little shops consists of a table, a large sign advertising their printing work, an order pad, and an umbrella. Young women--sometimes a young man or two--sit at these tables all day, basically doing nothing. |
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Each of the little stalls is essentially the same. Sometimes the signs in front of the table are exactly the same as those of their neighbors. |
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Looking in this direction, I could count seventeen tables for taking printing orders. Behind me were just as many more, all on one quiet street. |
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