If you’ve ever wished you could walk into a meme, Mew Movement in Petaling Jaya, Selangor might just be the place. Hidden on the second floor of a shophouse in SS2, this playful spot mixes art, pop culture, and pastel nostalgia behind a quirky elevator-style door.

Founded by young “art-trepreneurs” Melissa Ng and Yew Yiqin in 2021, Mew Movement carries an assortment of artworks, handicrafts and fun little knickknacks (stickers, postcards, washi tape, etc) – all designed by the duo.

“Melissa and I have been friends since high school, and though we went on to study at different colleges, we still kept in touch,” says Yew, 26.

During the pandemic, when everything slowed down, they decided to start their own small business.

And so the indie-minded Mew Movement was born – a blend of Ng and Yew’s names, built on their shared dream of spreading joy through art.

The ghost-like character which Ng and Yew call ‘Mew’, features prominently in a lot of their artwork.

The shop’s mascot is a ghost-like character named Mew.

“It’s not actually a ghost, but a person who’s pretending to be a ghost, because we all hide parts of ourselves, but we want people to know that at Mew Movement, it’s okay to just be yourself,” says Yew.

In its first year, Mew Movement sold online and built a social media following, but soon saw the need for a physical space to reach more people.

“We also wanted to offer a place where people could hang out – a space to have fun and be happy,” says Ng.

Renting in a busy commercial area is tough for independents, so Mew Movement also joins art markets – aiming for at least two a month, says Yew.

Mew Movement often pops up at art markets, like this one at Makers Hall, Central Market. — Mew Movement

Mew Movement has popped up all over the Klang Valley, including at Central Market, Pingmin Market and Comic Fiesta. It made its Kuala Lumpur Illustration Fair debut in May 2025 with a mini version of its shop – packed with visitors.

Thankfully, a small team of part-timers helped when things got busy.

Beyond the transactional

For Ng and Yew, Mew Movement was always meant to be more than just a shop – they wanted it to feel like an experience for everyone who walks in.

“We don’t want to just sell things – we want to go beyond the transactional and make a kind of third space where people can linger and hang out with friends, so we created this area inside the shop called the ‘Mewracle’,” says Yew.

The Mewracle section of the shop is something like a pop-up installation, which changes its concept every two to three months. Previous Mewracles include “Mew Sushi House”, featuring handmade tufted coasters that look like plates of sushi on a kaiten belt, and “Mewsic Box”, where the duo made their version of a record shop with album covers and a jamming area.

Mew Movement’s current Mewracle, 'Mew Cake Shop', runs until July 27. – Mew Movement

“It’s our biggest canvas. When we were planning out the shop’s layout, we knew that we wanted something that kept changing. Best of all, it’s free for people to come and enjoy,” says Ng.

“One of our most popular was ‘Picnic with Monet’ in February last year,” says Yew, who has dabbled with animation work.

“People could actually picnic in the space – we hand-painted panels so it felt like sitting inside a Monet painting.”

The quirky idea won them several new loyal fans.

The current Mewracle, Mew Cake House, is styled like a cheerful cake shop. Ng and Yew created socks in ice cream tubs and pop-up cake cards with icing stickers to match. It runs at the shop until July 27.

“Our goal with this Mewracle was to bring the ice cream stand from our Eslite pop-up to our shop regulars, so we went with a sweets and desserts theme,” says Ng, who has a background in interior architecture.

Mew Movement is also known for its “Live Drawing Photo Booth”.

While planning the shop's layout, Ng and Yew knew that they wanted to dedicate a space for the 'Live Drawing Photo Booth'.

At first glance, it looks like a regular photo booth – but instead of a camera, Yew or Ng (hidden behind a screen) sketches your portrait on the spot in just five to 10 minutes.

Can’t visit in person? They open online slots via social media, where you send a photo and get your hand-drawn likeness by mail.

And if you’d like to send a note to your future self (or someone else), there’s a wall with 12 mailboxes – one for each month. Just write a postcard, choose a month, and it’ll be mailed out then.

Forging connections

In their work, Ng and Yew tap into pop culture – TV shows, ­movies, music, and viral memes – for playful, relatable inspiration.

“We’re often inspired by our own experiences and whatever is trending that gets stuck in our head,” says Ng.

Beyond creative expression, the duo also aim for their work to bring a sense of lightness and joy.

“Whether at a booth or the shop, I like talking to people who connect with our work,” says Yew.

“It’s nice hearing their stories and realising even strangers share similar feelings and experiences.”

Mew Movement offers an assortment of artworks, handicrafts and fun little knickknacks, such as stickers, postcards, washi tape, socks and phone cases – all designed by Ng and Yew themselves.

One of Mew Movement’s regulars, Faith Lai, 23, calls the shop “an art paradise”.

“As an art student myself, I like seeing other people’s art – it lights up my day when I’m feeling down. I try to visit Mew Movement at least once a month, and I like to bring different friends each time, as I love to watch them trying to figure out how to get into the shop,” says Lai with a laugh.

She adds that the Mewracles section is her favourite part of the shop, as the artwork changes every few months.

“At this point, I think I’ve spent like RM400-RM500 here since I first started visiting. Everything is just so cute and relatable,” says Lai.

As a space that blends art gallery and design studio, Yew says they never expected Mew Movement to come this far.

“To be honest, we were just thinking about giving it a year or so to see how it went. But now it’s been four years, and we still feel like there’s so much for us to play around and experiment with.

“We didn’t expect such strong demand for art or how willing people are to spend on fun, cute things,” says Yew. “But if our work or shop brightens someone’s day, that makes us happy too.”

Their current goal? To have Mew Movement become a must-visit stop for pop culture visitors, like Bangkok’s Daddy And The Muscle Academy, a hipster paradise shop.

“If you ever feel stressed or burdened, you can come here to escape for a bit. You don’t have to buy anything, just come and enjoy the art,” concludes Ng.

Instagram: @mewmovement.