Economics of Jakarta’s informal street-shops

"We usually do day and night surveys to see how crowded the street is before deciding to start selling in one," said Tabroh, a 60-year old seasoned stall owner in Ampera, South Jakarta. "All you need to do after you decide to stay in one place is contact the local district officer, and, you know ... give them a contribution," he said…

"One can do well with Rp 5 million as a start, to have the stall built and shop for first stock," he explained."Now, I only pay Rp 5,000 a day for electricity and a security fee of Rp 10,000 a month." The security fee is for assuring that his stall -- and whatever is stuffed in it -- is safe from thieves.

The Jakarta Post claims these ‘magic boxes’ can make between Rp 300,000 to Rp 600,000 a day. A nice return. Via ‘Sarapan Ekonomi.