Listen to the Voice of the Era – A Journey Through Time at the Vinyl Music Hall

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

Technology has brought people an increasingly convenient world, but also a growing sense of distance. The gradual loss of warmth and emotion may be the spiritual battle faced by this generation. Looking back at Taiwan’s music history, from Teresa Teng, Chen Finland, Fong Fei-fei, and others, each with their unique singing styles, one can vividly recall the atmosphere of that era. Beneath the rich nostalgia, it reveals the development of sound and industry. The large, black vinyl records, placed on players resembling dressing tables, emit faint crackling sounds, singing out the homesickness of the times.

A vintage record-themed café

Located on Minquan Road in Kaohsiung City, there is a vintage record-themed café. The owner, who is deeply passionate about vinyl records, has collected at least tens of thousands of records over the decades. Most of them are now rare and out-of-print, making each one incredibly precious. The owner generously shares these treasures with customers, acting as the in-house DJ. Whatever songs patrons request, he can find them on the shelves from his years of experience listening to old records, and share the nostalgia with fellow music lovers.

The owner, originally from Chiayi, moved with his family to Dahu Village in Hunei, Kaohsiung, where they opened “Quanmei Western Wear.” He started his career there. As a tailor apprentice, he loved listening to music on the radio. The songs broadcasted accompanied him through his long apprenticeship, and the idea and passion for collecting records gradually took root. Later, when the western wear market declined, after closing the tailor shop that had been open for many years, he turned to the food and beverage business. This gave him an opportunity to channel his passion, and he decided to open a vintage record-themed café, allowing the music of the olden days to continue to be heard.