The perfect living room doesn’t exist until SUBO, a one-stop-store slash hang out spot, set up their shop in Cipete. Well hidden in the residential neighbourhood of Saraswati street, SUBO gathers lovers of books, old-age records and quirky collectables over mocktails and homemade dishes in one intimate space.
Founded by husband-and-wife Aria Anggadwipa and Intan Anggita, SUBO is meant to be a place where comers can connect with surroundings that uplift them, be it through the conversations they have or in the books they come across or in the music they play on the record player. The moniker, short for Summum Bonum, is drawn from a song title by the Taiwanese band, Sunset Rollercoaster, which means “the higher good”; being at SUBO should reflect the same inspiring feeling.
And it’s not hard to do so. One can trap themselves for hours scouring through LP records that the couple has gathered through years of travelling and digging through flea markets. With a discography that stretches from Motown stars and Britpop to Indonesian classics, visitors are free to play them on the store’s refurbished record player and make a purchase after finding the perfect record they’ve been looking for.
Also showcased at SUBO is various upcycled fashion items like bags and shoes that Intan, who is also a recycling artist, has crafted and offered for sale. For those who have been seeing their friends sporting roller skates and thinking of joining the revived trend, SUBO may as well be your first destination for the rolling gears. Dwell on these while enjoying the store’s selection of coffee-based mocktails and dishes like Nasi Goreng Buntut and Mie Yamin Shitake, that Intan personally cooks.
Open by appointment with limited staying hours, the store’s confined space only allows for few people to gather to preserve the homey and intimate ambience that lies at the heart of SUBO. So best plan your trip solo or with few mates, and immerse in the good music, food and ambience that the place has to offer.