A sparkling past and a bright future: basking in the glow of The Central
Directed by Tang Dafei. Shot by Tang Dafei, Zhou Shengjie, Dai Qian. Edited by Tang Dafei. Subtitles by Yang Yang, Emma Leaning.
In the summer of 2021, the glass dome above The Central was finally lit. Its sparkling 4,000-square-meters were decorated with 12,000 LED bulbs, linking four historic buildings under its dreamlike structure. In the fourth episode of Qiao Shanghai, Michelle Qiao guides her audience in exploring this 1930s arcade and its recent makeover.
The Central was developed by Jewish tycoon Edward Ezra and designed by Palmer & Turner in a classical style. After World War II, vendors began congregating here to sell leftover American military goods like pens, lighters, second-hand watches, and clothes. From 1949, the arcade became an attractive market for defective products and items once though flawed became useful to locals. The hotspot gained further following for a famous repair company it housed. From radios to table tennis bats, this handy little shop could fix anything.
In addition to its past, Michelle shows how to have a fun at The Central today. From drinking a tasty treat using Bright Dairy milk, to watching a performance at the renowned Jazz at the Lincoln Center. And of course, basking in the beautiful glow of the renowned glass dome.
Michelle is confident that the lights of this glorious dome, signal more historic buildings will "shine" after renovation.
