A grocery store is a place that sells a variety of everyday items, also known in Taiwanese as “kám-á-tiàm”. In the past, it was a store that could supply the needs of people in the neighborhood. However, after World War II, due to the advancement of logistics mode, supermarkets, hypermarkets and convenience stores were everywhere, many grocery stores disappeared from the streets.

In the early days, the grocery stores served mainly residents in the neighborhood. Due to the familiarity of our neighbors, credit is allowed. The grocery store has been in business since December 1974. It not only sells goods, but also helps the residents of the settlement to send and receive mail because it’s difficult for the mailman to find the recipient in this complicated alleyway.

The founder of the grocery store was the mother of current owner Lai Ching-Tsai, the 22nd descendant of Lai Jing-Chun. In the 1970s, Taiwan's economy registered a high-speed development, and young people who had relied on traditional rice farming in the rural areas began to work in nearby factories. In this case, the original lifestyle of working at sunrise and resting at sunset has been changed. These young people work in shifts and when they need a store that can provide for their needs after hours.

As time goes by, young people are gradually leaving their hometowns to seek opportunities in the big cities. The Sanheyuan colony, once having a flourishing population, is slowly becoming less populated. Only the grocery stores remain serving the neighborhood in the alleys of the settlement quietly.

In recent years, the development of Community Empowerment has brought opportunities for this depressed grocery store. After years of planning and campaigning by the Da-Qiao Community Development Association, in 2016, we obtained funding from the Nantou Branch of the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau to recreate the western half of the settlement and paint the images of the grocery store on the outer wall. After the completion of the project in March 2017, tourists from outside the city came to visit unexpectedly and noticed the existence of the grocery store in the alley. With the photos on the internet and word of mouth from visitors, more and more tourists were coming to visit the store and it has become a tourist attraction.

These visitors seek out their childhood memories in the grocery stores, the scratchy, matte glass cases of old-fashioned sweets, or the traditional brewed soy sauce displayed on the drab, angled steel shelves. This reminds them of their childhood memories of walking through the alleyways near their homes.

Lai Yunhan

In the Sanheyuan next to CiFeng Temple in Dacun Township, there is a grocery store full of nostalgia and nostalgia. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by a wide array of candies and cookies, and a friendly uncle. He is the owner. It has preserved the style of the early houses and evokes the beautiful memories of childhood. I like to stop at the grocery store when mom gives us pocket money and we go to buy some candy. What happiness. The grocery store is small, but you can buy almost everything there. The grocery store image is part of a beautification project for the Da-Qiao community, with the hope of recreating the old Sanheyuan community through environmental painting. Not only that, but also the specialties of Dacun such as watermelon, bananas, giant grapes, and mangoes in all seasons are incorporated here, so that visitors can know more about Dacun. The mosaic tiles are not only painted, but also used as mosaic tiles, just like the mosaic decorations in everyone's house when they were kids, leading travelers back to the most familiar days.

Lin Youxi

It was a novel experience to visit the owner of the grocery store, and both the owner and the owner's wife were very nice and invited us to eat, and we could ask any questions. We also bought a lot of delicious food. They are very cheap. There is an old Family Computer, the shopkeeper said some people said they wanted to buy it for $12,000, but she refused. We asked her why? she said that it was her childhood memories and if she sold it, it would be like selling her childhood. We think it makes sense! If we sell our childhood to others, what do we have? How can we buy it back? Without childhood, you feel that there is something missing, and your whole body feels like it is without a soul.

Lai Boyuan

Although I live near the grocery store, this interview gave me a deeper understanding of the store and the story behind it. Before entering this grocery store, you have to pass by some Sanheyuan and then walk into a small alley inside to reach the grocery store. Although this grocery store is a tiny one, it sells a lot of things, such as children's toys and snacks, even household goods. It really is “small but complete”! The owner and the owner's wife were both very nice. The owner listened to our questions and answered them sincerely, and the owner's wife was very kind to us.

Liu Zaixian

This visit to the grocery store gave me a deep feeling. I don't usually go to the grocery store, so this interview gave me a different experience. When I stepped into the grocery store I was surprised to see a wide range of products, some of which I had never seen before and felt very curious. The boss and the boss's wife are very kind and friendly, and very warm to greet us. We were also treated to ancient snacks, And the owner also told us the story of this grocery store. He also said that we can ask anything about the grocery store anytime. The trip was very rewarding and introduced me to many new things and gave me a different experience.