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Eye-opening second-hand store
SWAPPING your unwanted items for someone else’s second-hand stuff isn’t a new idea. In fact, the thrill of looking for hidden treasure in other people’s gently-used cast-offs has a long history in modern Shanghai.
Decades ago, the stated-owned Huaihai Second-hand Store was one of the most famous shops of its kind in the country. Located at the intersection of Huaihai Road M. and Chongqing Road in downtown Shanghai, the store opened to the public on September 29, 1954, two days ahead of the 5th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Although the once famous store vanished from Huaihai Road in 1992 to make way for the North-South section of the city’s elevated road, it lives on in the memories of many local seniors.
The store covered a floor area of over 1,000 square meters, with a front door opening to Huaihai Road and a rear entrance to Changle Road. According to Ding Husheng, a former deputy manager of the store, its warehouse was filled with all manner of goods for civil and military use, including an amphibious tank.
In 1956, the store started a new business that acquired goods from customers and sold used items on commission. In the 1950s and 1960s, daily necessities were rationed and available for purchase with stamps only. However, pre-owned goods were freely sold and traded, which made the store a popular place for locals.
It was always packed with all manner of goods, like “antiques, clothes, watches, leather jackets … of course, things for daily life, such as radios. We also sold global brands; stuff like Rolex watches,” recalled Fu Zhengya, one of the store’s first employees.
At that time, China hadn’t opened to the outside world. For many people, the store and its wares became a window through which they could look outside the country.
The luxury watches and other foreign goods were pricey and most people couldn’t afford them. But the store helped foster a class of private collectors and connoisseurs in Shanghai. It became a classroom of sorts, where these early sophisticates hone their knowledge of the finer things in life.
Although the goods were pre-owned, they were never fakes. In fact, many were valuable antiques. The jewelry items put on sale here often featured real pearls and diamonds. Mahogany furniture was also a popular category of goods. These items often sold quickly and rarely found their way back to the second-hand shelf. With time, store staff members also became more knowledgeable of the precious goods they sold.
In the good old days, the store was a popular gathering place for local men. Some came merely for the fun of swapping, while others looked for a profit or a chance to trade-up for a better pen, watch or bicycle. When times got hard, the shops became a place where antiques could be traded for money to feed hungry mouths.
There are still many living in Shanghai who hold fond memories for this popular second-hand emporium. Although long gone, the store is a part of the city’s commercial history and culture.
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