On the shelves are endless rows of old drinking glasses produced by brands such as Yakult and Taiwan Beer. A bespectacled lady donning a handmade felt brooch she purchased from Nepal picks up a small glass.
“This one is over 50 years old, just like me,” says Retro Nana (Chang Min-min, 張敏敏), who runs the shop I’m looking through.
I came to know of Retro Nana’s store, Nostalgic Future (意思意思), from an American friend on the hunt for antique Taiwan Beer glasses. It was the one item that Retro Nana refused to sell and after an hour-long debate, she relented and sold the cups — but only after making him promise that he would only drink Taiwan Beer out of them.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
It took a few wrong turns and a couple of curses directed at Google Maps to locate Nostalgic Future. The store wasn’t always so difficult to find. Previously, it was located at 14, Lane 14, Dihua Street Sec 1. In Chinese, 14 14 or yisi yisi (一四一四) is a homonym for the store’s Chinese name, yisi yisi (意思意思) which means “meaning meaning.”
Retro Nana moved to the current location near Zhongshan MRT in 2013 as she felt that Dihua Street had become “too commercialized.”
SHARING SIMPLE PLEASURES
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
I gather from the display of handmade canvas bags on the roadside in front of a dark stairwell that the stairs must lead to Nostalgic Future.
Inside is a mish-mash of antiques collected from her travels around the world and handmade crafts by young Taiwanese artists.
Her desire to foster in young people a love for handicrafts stems ultimately from wanting to share simple pleasures she experienced growing up, for instance, knitting dolls or drawing greeting cards.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
Retro Nana explains that the bags I saw on the roadside were made by a young artist and that no two bags are alike. The artist teaches a couple of workshops on the third floor, though when I visit, two other workshops are taking place: book-binding and wood carving.
The tiny animal figurines sitting on a small wooden table by the second-floor balcony were made by students in the wood carving workshop.
They hold other workshops too. Tie-dyeing, sewing clothes and berets, making felt slippers and leather baggage tags. Her husband also teaches photography classes using old 8mm film cameras.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
The list goes on and on and Retro Nana can’t even remember some of the classes they hold.
There’s just one rule while in class: “When we have students who talk too loud, we’ll tell them to speak softer,” she says.
Picking up another drinking glass, Retro Nana says she used to drink from cups like these when she was younger.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
“Isn’t it wonderful to share these things with young people?”
OBJECTS CULLED FROM THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE
Retro Nana started collecting these items in her early 20s, around the same time that she began traveling abroad.
“I spent all my money on traveling instead of saving up to buy a house,” she laughs.
There’s no hint of regret in her voice.
She traveled to Hong Kong first, then to the Philippines despite her friends telling her that it was “too dangerous” to visit the country by herself.
“People in Taiwan can be so close-minded,” she says.
Clasping her hand over her mouth, she exclaims: “Sorry if I’m too frank!”
Wanderlust — fueled by watching foreign films — led her to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, France, Italy and all over the US. Each time she brought home spoils from different countries — ceramic bowls, stereos, comic books and a gigantic sculpture of a menacing-looking dog from Germany, which greets visitors at the top of the stairwell.
She stored her knick-knacks in her parents’ house and as her collection expanded, her father threatened to throw some away. That’s when she had the brilliant idea of opening a store.
“I didn’t have a job,” Retro Nana says, unapologetically. “So I decided that it would be worth my time to showcase all my collectibles and make people fall in love with retro stuff.”
Ironically, it’s young people who are more nostalgic these days, she adds. While there are many who go for mass production, commercial items, more and more are buying vintage. It makes the experience more meaningful.
■ Nostalgic Future (意思意思), 16-2, Ln 64 Nanjing W Rd, Taipei City (台北市南京西路64巷16-2號) is open Fridays to Mondays from 1pm to 9pm
■ For more information on classes, visit: www.facebook.com/nostalgicfuture1414
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