It wasn't always dead. Other than the departmental store, A&W, the Italian pizza place, and the skate shop were popular there.

IMO its decline started when Ampang Point opened just across the road, with what I think was Malaysia's very first Domino's Pizza, PC Unlimited, and a departmental store with a huge(for it's time) toy section and arcade. But even then Kerry's supermarket was popular with the expat crowd.