American retro vinyl jukebox Chen Shenghao photo
(New Year grassroots) A café in Zhejiang saves millions of vinyl records Listening to the warmth of the years
Wenzhou, February 4 (Fan Yubin, Li Mengyao) "Some people just look outside the door, maybe everyone subconsciously still feels that vinyl records seem to be a very high-level artistic enjoyment, but in fact, really sit in that environment, and feel the warmth of the moment with your heart." In Lishui Street, Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, Wang Peipei, the manager of a vinyl record café with millions of copies, said.
The café's sign is not eye-catching, but the interior is unique, and the walls and windows are filled with all kinds of vinyl records.
"At first, I didn't care about this petty bourgeoisie, European romance, and I never wanted to let these things occupy my life." Wang Peipei said that since serving as the manager of the operation store, he suddenly realized that the so-called "literature and art" brought not only the aroma of coffee, but also the warmth of the years.
Finishing vinyl records photographed by Chen Shenghao
Eight years ago, Wang Peipei, who was in the tea business in Changsha, Hunan Province, felt like he wanted to go home. "I used to work very hard, but after having children, I still want to stay by their side, but it is not that I am 'forced' to give up my career, but I began to reflect, why do I have to be so busy, can I slow down?" 」
After making up her mind, she returned to her hometown of Yongjia to become a housewife and grow up with her children. "In recent years, Yongjia Yantou has developed rapidly, especially the integration of culture and tourism in Lishui Street has been innovating, I used to make tea, and I am also a tea artist, which is more interested in this aspect." Wang Peipei said.
Many years ago, Wang Peipei found that kind of ancient charm when she traveled in Wuzhen, and she was full of expectations for the development of Lishui Street, which also rekindled the idea of developing a career.
A corner of the "Liusheng Story" café photographed by Chen Shenghao
Since 2020, Wang Peipei has worked in a cultural and creative shop on Lishui Street, learned to make coffee, pull flowers, receive tourists, serve customers, and thus get to know the current boss.
"In August 2021, I started building this vinyl record café, and I can say that coming to Yeosu Street has been the most rewarding years of my life." Wang Peipei said, "Friends from all over the world meet on a street, relying on each other's smiles, a dialogue, an object, to connect a period of pure friendship." ”
Wang Peipei dared to try, she said, "Lishui Street has also been breaking through the comfort zone, the original ancient rhyme collides with the culture of young trends, and the unique Lishui Street has been achieved." ”
Vinyl Records by Chen Shenghao
As a "layman" of vinyl records, how to run a vinyl record-themed café is a difficult problem for Wang Peipei. And the boss Zhong Yiyang gave her a "problem solving bag" with only four words: "Go and sort it out."
So, faced with a million vinyl records in stock, Wang Peipei and two other employees spent more than a month searching, learning and sorting.
"Because the cover of the record is not Chinese, I am not good at English, and some of them have to be checked, and then classified according to the manufacturer, style, new and old." Like a novice, Wang Peipei learns the historical origins and standard craftsmanship of vinyl records.
The store's collection of vinyl records photographed by Chen Shenghao
"Vinyl records are a niche hobby, and how to make passers-by willing to stay in this space is exactly what I need to find a way to solve." Wang Peipei said, watching the vinyl record on the old jukebox with the needle slowly rotating, the sound with the imprint of the era released from the loudspeaker, revealing a magnetic, let people feel the warmth of the years.
Wang Peipei feels that this is the voice that the public should enjoy. "After the fast-paced era, more and more people want to slow down, and the reason why vinyl records have a loyal fan is inseparable from its sound quality, pronunciation characteristics and soothing sensory enjoyment."
"Compared with the various digital music currently popular, vinyl has a high-fidelity characteristic, which is the sound quality closest to the original sound, and the empty inspiration and sense of the scene are also irreplaceable by digital music." Wang Peipei hopes that more and more people will slow down, sit down and listen to the melody of vinyl records, and always maintain their love for life. (End)