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Ee Soon Wei was tasked to bring a printing company into the modern age and transform it into one of Kuala Lumpur’s most bustling creative space
One of the trendiest spots in Kuala Lumpur is A Place Where by APW. It is the brainchild of entrepreneur Ee Soon Wei, who turned his family’s old printing factory on the fringes of the Bangsar neighbourhood into a sprawling creative, retail and food haven in 2013.
Ee is the CEO of APW, which started life in 1952 as Art Printing Works and was a thriving printer from the 60s to 80s. He recalled a pivotal moment in his career when he had to choose between pursuing a path in the corporate world and taking over his family’s printing business. He chose the latter, but it hasn’t been easy with the decline in demand for its printing services.
This spurred Ee to come up with a plan for APW to develop a creative campus, which would incorporate retail and F&B elements while preserving its heritage in printing.
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“Each space has its story and we must respect its identity rather than tear it down,” says Ee. “I believe it is important to preserve heritage wherever possible.”
“I put a lot of care and thought into curating our spaces at APW,” he says. “I always consider how to give each space a distinct identity and how there must be a continuity or flow between them.”
Ten years on, APW has established itself as a thriving player in Malaysia’s creative and dining scene. Now, Ee is thinking of extending its offerings to audiences beyond Malaysian borders.
To aspiring entrepreneurs who seek to follow in his footsteps and create a path of their own, he shares this advice: “There is no guidebook to success and you’re never dealt a good hand. You must be adaptable and think three steps ahead. There's a huge learning curve when running your company, but you'll never have a dull day.”
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