Time newsstand

The pace of life is more hurried, the explosion of social networks has changed many values in life. Most readers of the past have switched to online newspapers, online television... to keep up with the times. How many people still remember waking up early in the morning, stopping by the newsstands to buy a paper newspaper, drinking coffee while reading the news, eating breakfast, and chatting before going to work? Reading habits have changed, and the number of newsstands has also gradually decreased because there are no more readers. Yet there is still a newsstand that exists through the years.

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

Every day at 6am, Mr. Truong Van Hong dresses neatly and goes to the newspaper stand at the corner to clean and arrange. At 7am, he collects the newspapers, arranges them in order and makes them easy to find for regular customers. For the past 30 years, rain or shine, holidays or weekends, he has opened his shop on time, it has become a daily habit.

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

Mr. Hong said: “I opened a newspaper stand and maintained it from the time I was working until I retired, because I love reading newspapers. Before, I sold about 500-600 copies a day, but now I only sell about 100 copies. With the income and pension, I can take care of my family. The most important thing is still joy. It is like my breath every day. I open on time and do not take a day off, for fear of losing regular customers!”

The sellers are punctual, the buyers also come at the right time to choose the newspaper. They exchange their beloved printed newspapers. Mr. Hong proudly said: “My customers include people from Tac Van who come down to buy. Because nowadays there are not as many newsstands as before. I also understand that when online newspapers develop, printed newspapers will lose their position, but as long as readers cherish the cultural value of reading, I will still be attached to this newsstand!”

Mr. Hong’s customers are all elderly people and office workers. They take the opportunity to buy breakfast and stop by to buy an extra newspaper to bring to work. There are some elderly men who cannot drive, but still ask their children and grandchildren to take them to their place so they can personally give them money, buy and hold their favorite printed newspaper.

Mr. Tran Van Thi, Dinh Binh commune, Ca Mau city, said: “I live far away but every morning I have to drive down to buy newspapers, because where I live I can't find a newsstand anymore. I buy them, then browse the information, chat with friends who have the habit of reading printed newspapers like me. In the age of technology, young people like online newspapers, but for me, printed newspapers are still the best. Reading printed newspapers is less harmful to the eyes, and also helps me remember information better. There are more articles with more detailed and multi-dimensional analysis.”

An elderly reader sits reading the news on the spot, after buying a newspaper at Mr. Hong's stall. Photo: NHAT MINH

A regular customer for over 20 years, Mr. Duong Minh Hung, Hamlet 1, Ward 2, shared: “It is true that printed newspapers are somewhat fading away now, but as long as readers love them, printed newspapers will still survive. I see that agencies, departments, sectors, and organizations are also reviving the reading culture through book discovery competitions, through articles reviewing books and newspapers… I hope that young people will return to the reading culture more.”

There are many reasons why printed newspapers are losing their popularity, but there are also many reasons why readers are loyal and maintain their love for printed newspapers. That is the motivation for Mr. Hong's newspaper stand to survive through the years. He hopes to have good health so that he can open the newspaper stand every morning, meet his friends inthe education sector who are now retired like him, and hand each printed newspaper with the smell of ink to his close customers.

Mr. Hong regrets: “In the past, there were many newspapers for children, and children often came to buy them. Now there are few newspapers for school-age children, and the beloved customers, children, are no longer there, so I miss them very much!”

In the era of technological development, Mr. Hong's newspaper stall still quietly exists with the breath of life and people of Ca Mau, preserving the values of reading culture, with the simple images of many generations of readers with a love of books and newspapers./.

Lam Khanh

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