Newsstand time

The faster pace of life and the explosion of social media have shifted many values. Most readers have switched to online newspapers and television to keep up with the times. Few remember waking up early in the morning, stopping by newsstands to buy a physical newspaper, then sipping coffee while watching the news, having breakfast, and chatting before work. Reading habits have changed, and newsstands are becoming increasingly deserted due to a lack of readers. Yet, one newsstand still endures through the years.

Rain or shine, Mr. Hong's newspaper stall at the corner of Hoang Dieu Street, Ward 2, remains open every day. Photo: NHAT MINH

Every day at 6 a.m., Mr. Truong Van Hong, neatly dressed, arrives at his newsstand on the street corner to clean and arrange the newspapers. At 7 a.m., he receives the newspapers, organizes them in order, and makes them easy for his regular customers to find. For the past 30 years, rain or shine, on weekends and holidays, he has consistently opened his stall on time, making it a daily routine.

The newspaper stand is like breathing, a daily habit in Mr. Hong's life. Photo: NHAT MINH

Mr. Hong said: “I opened this newspaper stall and kept it running from when I was still working until I retired, because I love reading newspapers. Before, I sold about 500-600 newspapers a day, but now it's only about 100. Having some income, along with my pension, is enough to take care of my family. The most important thing is still the joy. It's like my breath every day. I open on time and never take a day off, because I'm afraid of losing regular customers!”

The vendors are punctual, and the buyers arrive at the right time to choose their newspapers. They exchange cherished printed newspapers. Mr. Hong proudly stated, "My customers include people from Tac Van who come down to buy. These days, there aren't as many newspaper stalls as before. I understand that with the development of online newspapers, print newspapers will lose ground, but as long as there are readers who cherish the cultural value of reading, I will remain committed to this newspaper stall!"

Mr. Hong's customers are mostly elderly people and office workers. They take the opportunity to buy breakfast and also purchase a newspaper to take to work. Some elderly gentlemen, unable to drive, still ask their children or grandchildren to drive them so they can personally hand over the money, buy, and hold their favorite printed newspaper in their hands.

Mr. Tran Van Thi, from Dinh Binh commune, Ca Mau city, said: “I live far away, but every morning I have to drive down to buy newspapers because there are no more newsstands where I live. I buy them, browse the news, and chat with friends who have the habit of reading printed newspapers like me. In this age of technology, young people prefer online newspapers, but for me, printed newspapers are still the best. Reading printed newspapers is less harmful to the eyes, and I remember the information better. Many articles are more thorough and multifaceted in their analysis.”

An elderly reader sits and reads the news after buying a newspaper at Mr. Hong's stall. Photo: NHAT MINH

Mr. Duong Minh Hung, a regular customer of over 20 years from Hamlet 1, Ward 2, shared: “It’s true that print newspapers are somewhat declining now, but as long as there are readers who love them, print newspapers will still survive. I see that agencies, departments, and organizations are also reviving reading culture through book quizzes and book reviews… I hope that young people will return to reading culture more often.”

There are many reasons why print newspapers have declined, but there are also many reasons why readers remain loyal and maintain their love for print newspapers. That is the motivation that keeps Mr. Hong's newsstand alive through the years. He hopes to have good health so that every morning he can open his newsstand, meet his friends from the education sector who are now retired like himself, and hand over each printed newspaper, still smelling of ink, to his dear customers.

Mr. Hong said regretfully, "In the past, there were many newspapers for children, and young children often came to buy them. Now, newspapers for school-aged children are scarce, and my dear customers, the children, are gone, so I really miss them!"

In this age of technological advancement, Mr. Hong's newspaper stand quietly continues to exist alongside the life and people of Ca Mau, preserving the cultural values of reading, with the simple image of generations of readers and their love of books and newspapers.

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