Checking out organic choices

Spring into vintage era

"We are continuously exploiting a better business mode, trying to better fit in the market," Zhang says.

They opened a Pudong store in 1993. The company's East Nanjing Road store opened in 2000 and the 100-square meter-shop generated 30 million yuan revenue in 2013. Another branch in Tianlin of Xuhui district opened in 2012.

Service first

From the moment it opened its doors, Xing Huo positioned itself as a store bringing convenience to consumers, offering considerate service and care.

When bicycles were still the primary mode of transportation, Xing Huo always placed a bicycle pump outside the store, so that passing cyclists could use it for free. And if they had a broken valve core, they could easily find a replacement in the store for only 0.03 yuan.

"In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a popular saying among people—whenever there is a difficulty, ask Xing Huo for help," Zhang recalled.

Xing Huo even played the role of emergency medical services. A widely circulated story claims that Xing Huo staff rode three-wheeled pedicabs late at night on many occassions, taking pregnant women or acute patients to nearby hospitals.

In 1993, local newspaper Xinmin Evening News reported that a customer wanted to buy one preserved olive at a Xing Huo store, and store staff showed no surprise or complained, but weighed an olive for him: the man paid 0.11 yuan for the 6-gram olive.

Needle and thread is always available in Xing Huo stores, and a medical kit including mercurochrome, band-aids and essential oil is on hand to help people in urgent need.

IF YOU GO

172 Nanjing Donglu

南京东路172号

676 Yishan Road

宜山路676号

143 Laoshan Road

浦东崂山路143号

628-630 Xizang Zhonglu

西藏中路628-630号