Free market economist

By Shaun Inguanzo
AS AN economist in Ukraine, Dmtry Pinchevsky never forecast he would spend 16 years as a Dandenong Market stallholder.
But the 50-year-old who migrated to Australia in 1990 at first couldn’t speak enough English to continue his whitecollar career, and instead turned to selling clothes at the Dandenong Market.
“I like the job, I love to talk to people,” he said, not phased by the dramatic career change.
But after 16 years as a stallholder at the market, there’s more to Dmtry’s story than a passion for talking.
“I liked to help the Dandenong people,” he said.
“Many can not afford to buy expensive clothing so they come here to me where they can buy cheap clothing.”
The stallholder’s clothes won’t be found on the catwalks of Milan, Paris or New York, but Dmtry says for the many migrants who arrive in Dandenong with minimal funds, places like the market, and in particular his store, are providing a much needed service.
“I understand their situation,” he said.
“There are many immigrants in the area who do not have money and are looking for specials and bargains so I try to sell good stuff for cheap.”
Dmtry said he has plenty of long-term customers, many who were once children visiting the stall with their parents.
“We’re like a family here,” he said.
With the Dandenong Market redevelopment well underway, Dmtry said he had visions of a neater marketplace that was more attractive and that enabled permanent stallholders a way of securing their goods on site between market days.
He believes such changes will revive the market, which has lost the strong crowds it once attracted.
“When I first started in 1990 a lot of people came from the country,” he said.
“But now business is a little quiet, it’s not like it was before.”
While the market is set to continue for years to come Dmtry says the early mornings are starting to take their toll on him.
“It is getting harder and harder as I get older,” he said.
But he said his loyal customers could expect to see him for a while yet.