déjàvu, the popular second-hand clothing and bookstore/cafe in Sanlitun's Courtyard No. 4, will be shuttering for good as of Jun 30 due to a termination of their lease agreement, according to a recent heartfelt post on their official WeChat account.
During a recent visit, a prominent poster greeting us on the left wall immediately caught our attention. It bore the message, "Goodbye, thanks for all the fish." This, a reference to a line from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, also doubles as a reference to the store name -- 多抓鱼循环商店 duō zhuāyú xúnhuán shāngdiàn, aka "catch more fish recycle store" -- and déjàvu's loyal customers, who are referred to as "fish", according to déjàvu staff.
Despite the downpour outside, loyal customers continued to trickle in, searching for hidden treasures among the old, second-hand books. The store offered a ten percent discount across all items. Rows of books sat silently on the shelves, their quiet presence belying the store's impending closure.
The dramatic red characters that spelled "再见 zàijiàn" on the wall served as a stark reminder that it was indeed time to bid farewell.
It's worth mentioning that déjàvu has been through the cycle of opening and closing shops before. Their previous venture was in Dawanglu in 2019, where the earnings barely covered the rental costs. Despite the financial tightrope, they embarked on a new venture in Shanghai in 2021, which proved to be a more successful endeavor. Riding this wave of success, they launched their Sanlitun shop in January 2022.
The Sanlitun store quickly rose to prominence, becoming a hotspot for book enthusiasts in the bustling area. However, the pandemic struck a blow to their business throughout 2022. Just as they were beginning to recover, their lease ended abruptly. déjàvu disclosed in a statement that although their Sanlitun store's performance outshined the Dawanglu store by threefold, the significantly higher rent neutralized this advantage.
One factor leading to déjàvu's shutdown is the intense competition from other e-commerce giants like Tmall and Xianyu. The ease of access to online books has made it tougher for déjàvu to sustain itself in the market. One customer stated, “I wanted to purchase an English book from déjàvu, which was priced at RMB 38. However, the same book was available for just RMB 17.8 on Taobao. As a result, déjàvu's appeal, in terms of book pricing, has diminished for me.”
Nonetheless, for some loyal customers of déjàvu, price doesn't appear to be an issue. "What draws me to déjàvu is the opportunity to discover fewer mainstream books that are hard to find elsewhere," shared one Beijing resident.
There are also those who find themselves attracted to déjàvu's approach to recycling and the charm of second-hand books. "There's something nostalgic and special about browsing through these pre-loved books," expressed another customer.
Undoubtedly, the surge of digitalization has presented immense hurdles for physical bookstores in an era where fingertip access to books is the new norm. Yet, déjàvu is undeterred, holding steadfast to plans of inaugurating another brick-and-mortar bookstore in Beijing. While numerous bookstores are evolving into hybrid spaces, incorporating cafes and study rooms to boost profitability, déjàvu remains faithful to its original blueprint. “Our belief here is not to view past ventures that didn't pan out as failures but rather as stepping stones towards ultimate success. The journey continues and we’re confident we will reach there” the company said in a statement.
Note: déjàvu will be closing its doors for the final time on Jun 30. As a parting gesture, they're offering a generous 10 percent discount on all items. If you've been a loyal customer or simply wish to bid them farewell, please make a point to visit one last time.
déjàvu Second-Hand Store
Building 75, Courtyard No.4, No. 4 Gongtibei Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路4号机电院内75号楼
Hours: 11am-10pm
Phone: 15311993356
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Images: Irene Li