A warm and beautiful store by the Drum Tower, a two-story grocery store that looks like an art museum, a small Kyoto store in the Lishi Hutong, a mid-century flea market in Beijing, an eco-friendly grocery store ...... They are hidden in various corners of the city, selling the beauty and warmth of the world.
O1 A warm and beautiful store by the Drum Tower - Ji Ming Store
Ji Ming Store, is said to be a grocery store named after the owner’s grandfather. After the owner's grandfather passed away, the store was opened with his name as a memorial. It was also on this street that the young grandfather and grandma met and fell in love, delivering romance everywhere.
The store is located on Gulou East Street, and the small store of a dozen ㎡ is playing soft music. The store has a white wall covered with postcards sent to the owner by customers who come to the store. Many of the works in the store also hide the simple and interesting daily life.
Many kinds of hand works in the store are designed by the designers themselves. There are simple and elegant vases, small bowls and plates in rustic style, cute brooches, planet-shaped refrigerator stickers, and nerdy cups...
The owner is also very charming. She can talk about each item freely, making the small store full of warmth. When you stop in the busy city, you may be surprised to find such a small store on the side of the road, which hides many stories and is waiting to heal you.
Name: Ji Ming Store
Address: No.60 Gulou East Street
Time: 13:30-19:30
O2 A two-story grocery store like an art gallery - OUT OF STOCK
It is a very low-key art store with a good appearance. The three words, HANDMADE ART STORE, introduce the core of this small store. As soon as you enter the door, you can feel the strong Japanese wabi-sabi style.
The store often holds small art exhibitions or displays from time to time. The exhibitions are of an unconventional kind, mainly with the theme of "small". Whether it's utensils, silver jewelry, wooden ornaments, etc., the type of exhibitions basically belong to the niche groups. The exhibits are exquisite, and those who like niche art should not miss it. The exhibits here have a strong Japanese style, and you can find beautiful, cute and strange things here.
Some of the exhibits are non-sale items, but most are saleable. From large items such as lockers and writing tables to small items such as saucers and teacups, rings and earrings... You can buy anything here.
The store has two floors, and the overall area is not very large, but it is warm. The staircase has a great sense of atmosphere. If you want to come here to take pictures, you can wear Japanese or light style clothes.
The second floor is a must-see, with half of the room devoted to the Japanese woodworking brand Kiyata. When you enter, it's like entering an enchanted forest. There are also permanent goods on display here, mostly cups, dishes and plates.
Name: OUT OF STOCK
Address: First floor, Shifang Mansion, No.16, Xinyuan South Road
Hours: 11:00-19:00 (closed on Tuesdays, open during exhibitions)
O3 A small Kyoto store in Lishi Hutong - Kamogawa Grocery
Kamogawa Grocery Store is a small store hidden in the Lishi Hutong in Dongshi that can bring you to Kyoto. The "Kamogawa" in the name of the store is a river in Kyoto, Japan. Every spring when cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the banks of the Kamogawa River are covered in pink, giving people a warm and beautiful feeling.
The store is decorated to restore the sense of a small store beside Kamogawa in Kyoto. Wooden pillars, wooden windows, wooden doors and wooden beams reveal the atmosphere of antiquity everywhere. The handmade utensils are all handmade by domestic and foreign artists, and the style is mostly coarse but warm, with delicate hand-made patterns. The store focuses on supplies such as cups, plates and bowls. The cups are simple, delicate and durable, and also contain rich variations. The owner will also explain the design concept and pattern enthusiastically.
The porcelain vessels of various shapes have a unique flavor, both when viewed from a distance and when played with up close. Each cup has a different texture and pattern, combining delicate beauty and practicality.
You always need dishes and cups of porcelain for three meals a day. If you want to live a pleasant day, you may just put ceramic ware in your home. Nowadays, pottery and porcelain are no longer a single appliance or decoration. With the addition of various new technologies and creativity, they have already had a variety of uses.
Name: Kamogawa Grocery Store
Address: No. 58 Lishi Hutong (530m walk from the southeast exit of Line 5/6 Dongsi Station C)
Hours: 13:00-21:00
O4 Beijing Zhongguo Flea Market-Seed Station
Seed station is located on the 1st floor of an old neighborhood in Dongsishitiao. The store is bigger than expected, with a variety of products piled up all over the store. The vintage warehouse is comparable to the European flea market, and it is not a name in vain.
All the things in the store are from all over the world. A variety of antique toys, tapes, postcards, vinyl records, magazines, books, household items and so on can be described as a variety of. However, the store is rather cluttered. It depends on luck and destiny whether you can find the things you love or not.
The store has a lot of garage kits. Godzilla, Snoopy, Superman, Doraemon, cat and mouse are all classic cartoon characters that have accompanied a generation of people. The owner can tell us the origin, history and significance of each object in the store.
In addition, the store also has many movie soundtracks, signed vinyl, original comics, classic magazines and so on. Each old object has its own touching story, quietly waiting for us to discover and listen.
There are really too many boutique products in the store, some of which may even be out of print. For example, the Michael Jackson gold disc CD 1991 limited edition is said to be only 1000 copies of that year, and the 1:1 ET alien model is also said to be only 1000 copies worldwide. But the biggest treasure is the boss. When you come across something you like, you can ask the boss, and he can answer your questions and solve your problems. I have to say that this is really a treasure store. Even if you don't buy anything, you can learn a lot by talking to the boss.
Name: Seed Station
Address: No. A100, Dongsishitiao
Hours: 13:00-20:00
O5 Eco-friendly grocery store - Zero Waste & No Packaging Store
Unlike the bustle of Nanluoguxiang, Zero Waste & No Package Store is located in the relatively quiet Beiluoguxiang. The style of the whole store is very environmentally friendly with a simple muji style. The products are mainly household items, which are basically reusable, and a few are biodegradable materials.
The store is owned by a post-90s couple who advocate a zero-waste and packaging-free lifestyle. The female owner of the store had only produced one can of garbage for 6 months by herself. They take the "zero waste" lifestyle offline and open this small store, trying to convey this lifestyle to the public.
The store offers a range of everyday practical and aesthetically items that can make you "zero waste", helping people to start a new eco-friendly zero waste life journey easily.
The store mainly sells a variety of small household items, from toilet paper, toothbrushes, bath soap to straws, towels, lunch boxes ... Materials are mainly stainless steel, wood, glass, organic cotton, most of which can be recycled, and some are environmentally friendly products that are biodegradable.
The products in the store are divided into "zero-waste bathroom" and "zero-waste kitchen" according to the usage scenario. Here you will find a lot of novelty items. The labels of the products are handwritten on small pieces of paper, which is in line with the theme of environmental protection. Shopping in small stores can also make us think more about the environmentally unfriendly behavior in life.
Store name: Zero Waste & No Packaging Store
Address: No. 70 Beiluoguxiang
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-19:00
Translated by LIU Yu
Edited by WANG Jingyan
