Venerable grocery store in Jing'an reopens with new look
Stylish decor and hit snacks from childhood have put a zip into a venerable grocery store that has come back to life in Jing'an District, further improving the local 15-minute community life circle.
The 63-year-old 6th Foodstuffs and Oil reopened its flagship store on 629 Wanhangdu Road on Monday with an entirely new look after more than 150 days of renovation.
It is decorated in burlywood and white colors, ornamented with rustic touches such as wheat stalks and rattan baskets so as to create a natural and fresh ambience. Old tools used by grocery stores in the past, such abacus to do the accounts and scales to weigh rice, are on display, reviving childhood memories for many while being suitable for photo-taking.
What's more, traditional favorites are back on the shelves.
As roadside grocery stores are replaced by convenience store chains, older products, like lacovo and malted milk – popular drinks in the 1980s – are often hard to find. But they remain popular with locals, especially middle-aged and senior residents.
The store also sells homemade fresh noodles, wonton wrappers and sweet fermented rice, among other old-style items. Thanks to their low price and high quality, these products continue to be very popular.
The 6th Foodstuffs and Oil opened in 1958 as the largest of its kind in Shanghai. In 1998, it moved its flagship store from Nanjing Road W. to Wanhangdu Road with the aim of getting closer to residential neighborhoods.
According to the store, it is decorated in retro chic style in order to create a popular hangout, as well as introduce favored products in catering to the needs of locals.
Notably, the store features a multi-functional venue, decorated like a chic cafe. A variety of activities will be held in cooperation with the local community so as to provide services at the doorstep, such as health lectures, in an echo of the city's construction of a 15-minute community life circle.