With its paint peeling and its rusty rebars jutting out from disintegrating concrete columns, the five-story building standing on a neglected block in downtown Tainan City resembles nothing so much as a haunted house. Only the dim sunlight pouring through the octagonal windows reminds visitors that the structure had once been an upscale department store.
One man, at least, is not bothered by the mess. “The decorating details stand as a perfect example of the art deco style prevalent in Tainan during the Japanese colonial period from 1895 to 1945,” said Lin Wei-hsu, head of the Tainan Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage, pointing at the pillars, a white safety helmet covering half of his face.
“The hand-crafted ceramic tiles, the colored concrete floors and spiral staircases– this place is a treasure trove of early 20th century architectural styles,” the former design major said while navigating carefully through the debris. For the past two years, it has been his mission to bring this ghost of a building back from the ashes.
The store will soon have new life breathed into it, when an NT$60 million (US$2 million) renovation project is completed at the end of this year. As the city government hopes to solicit investment and operation plans from experienced corporations and promising local businesses, the establishment could soon be restored to its former glory.
Hayashi Hyakkaten—“hyakkaten” is the Japanese word for department store—which opened in December 1932, is the oldest remaining such establishment in Taiwan. It made its debut only one week after its main competitor, Kikumoto Hyakkaten, opened its doors in Taipei. But whereas Kikumoto has long since been torn down and replaced by a new commercial building, Hayashi still stands strong—dilapidated, to be sure, but undefeated.
The emporium was the brainchild of a successful Japanese businessman surnamed Hayashi, who dreamed of running Taiwan’s largest department store. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to see his dream come true, as he died because of a construction site accident. It is said that at the store’s opening ceremony, his widow inspected each floor of the building carrying a ceramic urn containing his ashes.
The building’s history illustrates Tainan’s rapid evolution during the golden decade before World War II broke out. It was the first store in southern Taiwan to feature an elevator, complete with young females as elevator operators—at that time an incredibly fashionable profession.
“My mother, who worked as a salesperson at the Hayashi Department Store, used to always brag about the posh lifestyle she led,” said Hsu Chun-hsiang, artistic director of the Tainan-based Taiwan New Folk Dance Theater, which has just finished its production of “Tainan Trilogy,” a choreographic homage to the city’s rise and decline over the past century, featuring the legendary store and its glamorous staff.
“She was clad in a shiny white shirt and an indigo blue pencil skirt, the same uniform that every young woman working at the store used to wear,” she noted. Until recently, the son of the late owner would still organize annual reunions of former employees in Taiwan, “to remember the good old days,” she added.
And those were the best of days. Boasting luxury goods such as perfume, tailor-made haute couture, expensive watches, imported housewares, tobacco and liquor, it was the Saks Fifth Avenue of southern Taiwan. Its clientele comprised mainly upper-class professionals: doctors, lawyers and government officials. A dress sold at the mall would have cost a saleswoman working there at least a month’s salary.
Things changed when the Pacific War broke out in 1941. As a Japanese colony, Taiwan became a target of the Allies. Tainan, being a political center of the Japanese regime, was heavily bombed by U.S. bombers. The rooftop of the Hayashi store was riddled with bullet holes of various sizes and indentations. However, the bullet-ridden walls and damaged balconies will be preserved to stand witness to the city’s history. “The sight speaks louder than any warfare account,” Lin said.
After the Kuomintang army acquired control over Taiwan when the war ended in 1945, various parties claimed ownership of the building. In the 1950s, the structure was divided among the state-owned Taiwan Salt Works, Taiwan Provincial Food Bureau and a broadcasting network that belonged to the ROC air force.
Standing at a major intersection and overlooking Anping Harbor to the west, its strategic location was so valued by the military that it installed anti-aircraft artillery on the rooftop. And that was why, up until the 2000s, the top floor was allocated to the Ministry of Defense to be used as dorms for six military families.
Although the weapons can no longer be seen, something else remains on the rooftop. “Hayashi intended the top floor to be his private corner, so it was off limits to his staff as well as the customers,” Lin said, climbing up a bamboo ladder to the sixth level, where a stone shrine dedicated to the Japanese deity in charge of crops, fertility and business still stands strong, having emerged unscathed from air attacks.
When the innovation project is completed, the resurrected building will remain a department store, but rather than selling high-end clothing lines from abroad, its inventory will feature mainly products representative of local Taiwan culture.
“What we have in mind are goods related to film, pop culture, music, literature or businesses that pay homage to the richness of Tainan’s traditions, things you don’t get in just any other shopping malls such as handmade canvas bags and local delicacies,” Lin said.
This project exemplifies the city’s emerging role as a new business hub, with many young entrepreneurs setting up startups there such as inns, cafes, design shops and art galleries. “Our city is in the process of constantly renewing itself,” he added.
Previous meetings with entrepreneurs and artists have seen innovative ideas on what this historical emporium can become. As art director of a folk dance troupe, Hsu hopes the store can serve more purposes than just a place to squander money. “It would be nice to turn at least one of the floors into a public theater, showcasing Tainan’s rich culture and history to locals and visitors alike,” she said.
Very soon, the 80-year-old department store will be writing a new chapter in its history, powered by a renewed exterior, a polished interior and a fresh spirit in motion with the city’s evolving Zeitgeist. (HZW)
Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@gmail.com