Listen to the Voice of the Times – Travel Through Time at the Vinyl Hall

By MOOK Scenic Spots Home Jun(e), compiled and reported

Technology brings people a more convenient world, but also distances us further apart. The gradually fading warmth and emotions may be the spiritual battle faced by this generation. Looking back at Taiwan’s music history, from Teresa Teng, Chen Finland, Fong Fei-fei, Gao Sha, and Wan Fang—each one represents an era, evoking nostalgia with their timeless voices. Behind the rich emotions lies the development of an exquisite industry. A large, jet-black vinyl record is placed on a player that resembles a vanity table. The faint sound of the needle creates a nostalgic melody of the past.

A vintage record-themed café

Situated on Minquan Road in Kaohsiung City, there is a vintage record-themed café. The owner, who has a deep love for vinyl records, has collected at least tens of thousands of records over the decades, most of which are now rare and out of print. Each record is incredibly precious. The owner generously shares his treasures with customers, acting as the café's DJ. Whatever songs patrons request, he can locate them from his collection shelves, drawing on years of experience listening to old records, and share the nostalgia with fellow enthusiasts.

The owner, originally from Chiayi, moved to Dahu Village in Hunei, Kaohsiung with his family to open “Quanmei Western Wear Shop” and start his career. As a suit apprentice, he loved listening to music on the radio. The songs broadcasted from the radio accompanied him through his long apprenticeship, and the idea and passion for collecting records gradually took root during that time. Later, when the suit market industry declined, he closed the tailor shop after many years and turned to the food and beverage business. This gave him the opportunity to pursue his passion, so he opened a vintage record-themed café, allowing the music of the olden days to continue to be heard.