Fang Institute founder Mao Jihong: Bookstore is a harbor for intellectuals

Text/Yangcheng Evening News reporter Lin Xi Hu Yan Pan Liang intern Xu Zhengyuan

Figure/Video Yangcheng Evening News all media reporter Hu Yan Pan Liang

The survival, transformation, future and other issues of traditional bookstores have been a hot topic in recent years. In the mall of Tukin, Guangzhou Taikoohui, there is a bookstore called Fangshu. In the siege of an international luxury brand, Fang's low -key appearance is particularly noticeable. As a well -known cultural landmark in the industry, how did Fang build their own brand? Under the impact of e -commerce and epidemic, how should a bookstore break the situation?

Recently, a reporter from Yangcheng Evening News entered the Fang's office. Mao Jihong, the cultural and exceptional fashion founder of the Fang Institute, talked to him, chats with culture, and talked about cross -border.

The bookstore is not for a business and profitability

Yangcheng Evening News: You are very famous for making "exceptions". Why did you want to open a bookstore in such a lot of money in such a lot of earth?

Mao Jihong: The "exception" of my earliest store was under the road of agriculture and forestry, and it was close to the Yangcheng Evening News. Later, there were some complex opening a bookstore. When I was a kid, I had obstacles. I was particularly slow and the knowledge structure was weak. At that time, I felt that it would be good if there was a bookstore. Reading is an important carrier that can calm people and bring us another world. The book changes my life. I think the bookstore is the soul of a city, a place where the soul goes home. Because of this idea and desire, a cultural carrier is founded. The bookstore is not for a business and profit, but more interaction with the city and people.

Yangcheng Evening News: In business talks, under the dual pinch of e -commerce and epidemic, is all the unique ways to operate?

Mao Jihong: Actually, doing a bookstore is a bit tragic. The money I made in fashion was basically in the bookstore. Fortunately, there is a fashionable fashion function, so I would like to thank the "exception" consumers. The original brand can be provided by Fang.

The book industry is very affected by the Internet. It is an industry that has a certain price but not a unified business rule. I generally don't count it, I think it's probably all. In the past two years, I have really penetrated into operation. When I see the data, it is terrible. The rent has risen nearly tripled, but it is a bit unable to carry it. However, we still need to maintain this cultural landmark, we will not easily invest in new stores. If you invest in a new store, the profit is basically not, only a loss.

But you can't lie flat. Therefore, this year, Fang made a more focused adjustment to ensure the selection and fund chain of the book to ensure that it can provide readers with the best knowledge. Everyone's expectations. In the first quarter of this year, Guangzhou Store did 24 events. It was really not easy to have holidays and epidemics. At this time, I need to provide the function of the bookstore. I often say that Fang is a planning and operating agency of a public cultural space.

In these years, some online celebrity bookstores have also emerged, but the epidemic has almost been erased. If it is only for punching to take pictures and traffic, it is difficult for offline stores to last long. Still the content of the king, in the end your content, your service, the essence of your true book can impress consumers. Fortunately, we did not lose this part. We have to provide a more equal, fair, or more comprehensive, more objective world of knowledge. Such a responsibility is like doing news. To give the truth, in fact, I discovered that this is later discovered. "True" may be a magic weapon in response to the Internet era.

Building a space for spiritual collision

Yangcheng Evening News: Fang Su often has many cross -border and exhibitions, including camping exhibitions, tide plays, etc., as well as coffee. Some people say that they are not opening a bookstore now, but a bookstore in a cafe. What do you think?

Mao Jihong: Whether it is a book+food and catering, books+exhibitions, books+cultural fashion, all business behaviors, the first one depends on the founder DNA, and I am building the lifestyle I hope. I am a fashionable background and is very sensitive to new things. We are dealing with art and culture every day, and we will realize the next consumption trend. Not everyone can open a bookstore. For me, culture and art are daily life, that is, my lifestyle. But if your lifestyle is carefully calculated in business, you may have missed this thing. Your company's DNA has something to do with your culture.

In recent years, we have continuously tapped local brands, and the cross -border products of handicrafts and eagle money displayed by Fang, more emphasis on locality, helping every local behavior, to dig and inherit the depth of culture. The average college graduate of Fang Institute employees. They gather together for literature, culture, and art. They made proposals from the dimensions of design, aesthetics, culture, inheritance, etc., such as ACG began last year, interacting with young customers, and the growth rate brought fast.

Yangcheng Evening News: From an exception to the square, to the production of "Shuishui Moon in Hand", the outside world is curious. Why can you be so cross -border?

Mao Jihong: I did not cross the border, and I never regarded myself as a person. I have always felt that I am a marginal person, because only when there is a passion and impulse to expand the circle. When I decide to do one thing, I must do not speak among the words. When everything is done with such an attitude, you will do it to the extreme. Art, not to do a business.

I think consumers will feel that they can carve the works without the heart to move the audience. Just like our brand, I hope to do things that are different at the time. If there is no point of view, I don't think it is meaningful. Your time is spent, but in fact you are doing a tasteless thing. In the process of creation, we were amazed for that "wow", but if we couldn't give surprises, it was wasteful. Everyone is pursuing that being moved. I feel natural. It is a matter of morning and evening.

Yangcheng Evening News: Some people say that Fang is the industry benchmark. Traditional bookstores are facing transformation. Do you have some suggestions? What will it look like in the next ten years?

Mao Jihong: We can't use who as a benchmark. The real benchmark is in the hearts of every operator. The bookstore is a knowledge space, cultural space, creative space, and a space for the spirit of the soul. See what the interaction that the operator needs is, what you want to pass on, you need unique, you need real value, you must interact with you to have this experience. This is the need for every bookstore operator to need What persistence is actually the utopia in everyone's minds.

Source | Yangcheng Evening News · Yangcheng School

Responsible | Hangying

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