Fruityshop's New Venue is the Wax Mecca for Beijing's Vinyl Devotees

Vinyl diggers are an obsessive bunch. Like archaeologists sifting through the rubble of a forgotten civilization, we gladly spend unhealthy chunks of time digging the cultural detritus of bygone decades (Culture Club, anyone?) in search of that impossible-to-find first pressing or that rare Italo disco 12-inch none of our normal friends has ever heard of. When somebody learns that I’m part of this afflicted set, the question invariably arises: “But is there even anywhere buy records in Beijing?” To which I reply: “Well, actually...”

Seven years old and now in its third location, Fruityshop (WeChat ID: fRUITYSHOP) is Beijing’s gold standard for eclectic vinyl rarities. You won't find the latest Coldplay record here (try Li-Pi in 798, if that’s your thing) or that bad-ass minimal techno track you heard at Dada (Floso’s got you covered there). What makes Fruity special is its impressive collection of classics and reissues from a range of off-beat genres – jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, funk/soul, experimental, post-rock, garage rock, punk, post-punk, krautrock, psychedelic, and more. In short, it's a sample hound’s paradise.

The closure of their beloved Dongsi location was sad news for Beijing's vinyl community, but the shop’s new digs just off Gaobeidian Beilu (near the Qingnian Lu subway station) totally make up for it. For one, the new shop is significantly more spacious than the dark, cramped hutong quarters in Dongsi, and more space means more records. The extra room also hints at other tantalizing possibilities, such as a café, in the future. The brighter lighting and improved layout also allow for better display of the shop’s other offerings, including clothing (mostly fashionable hip-hop gear) and turntable equipment.

At the same time, there’s enough carry-over from the old store to offer a sense of continuity: the wall display of colorful obscurities, the twin Technics 1200s behind the counter, and last but not least the friendly and dedicated team of Wang Zheng and Zhang Chi, whose encyclopedic knowledge and impeccable taste establish them as ideal sources of music-related information for novices and expert crate-diggers alike.

Like an attic full of vintage treasures, the old space possessed a chaotic charm that will be missed, as will its convenient location. Just northeast of CBD, this new store might as well be on the moon for its lack of familiar landmarks. Then again, if there were a record store of this caliber in the Sea of Tranquility, I’d start my zero-gravity training tomorrow. And while there is no sign yet of the huge old Harley Davidson that blocked the doorway of the Dongsi shop, forcing track seekers to prove their dedication by squeezing past it, hopefully, that too will soon come to join the new team.

Fruityshop will celebrate their official opening this Friday, Nov 16 from 3pm onwards. Expect drink from Xinyuanli favorite craft brew joint Tiny, good company, and of course, great music from the likes of  DJs BiggZooo, V-Nutz, Watermelon, and the FruityGroup.

Fruityshop
18-119 Yacheng San Li, Tian'e Wan South, Chaoyang District
朝阳区天鹅湾南区底商雅成三里18-119

Photos: Bill Weydig, courtesy of Fruityshop