Real Living Space

I’ve always had mixed feelings (those words again) about Cubao X (the former Marikina Shoe Expo). In its first reincarnation, it got me all excited with its rebellious art galleries, indie film screenings, and “edited ukay” furniture shops and bookstores. But then this happened—a few stores had peripatetic owners who would rarely open (it’s a known fact that most of the shops there only operate in the afternoons), usually only when they felt like it—in turn, confusing potential customers who were used to more “normal” stores. Stocks would dwindle, some of the storekeepers remained insolent, and eventually, the other stores closed.

From the original group of Cubao X shops, this is one store that survived: Vintage Pop. I remember featuring it way back then, when I was still new with Real Living. Here’s Vintage Pop owner Bong Salaviera in his shop in October 2004:

I know why Vintage Pop is still alive in that ever-changing area. Bong sticks to his original concept of well-edited, colorful, reworked vintage/pop culture/alternative art pieces for the home; he never mixes it up with other things that would confuse people, and it also helps that he’s pretty good-natured and friendly, albeit a bit eccentric. I remember the time when he refused to sell half the contents of his shop, proclaiming them “too sentimental”! Aside from those funky Alphabet table lamps and other tchotchkes, Bong now sells mostly reworked, cool-looking vintage radios, sound systems, and turntables. Here he is cranking up this gorgeous 1960s turntable/mixer that made me, Mabel, Pierra, and Toto stay that night, because it churned out a sound we are so not used to these days—the sound of scratchy vinyl:

In the end, Toto begged off buying the turntable. Meanwhile, I walked out with a P150 set of postcards of “Everyday Monsters,” I plan to frame them, but I just like looking at them:

Bong has other plans for his store. Coming soon: a mini art gallery in the small space he carved out on one side of the shop. If this spells the next phase of a new, improved Cubao X, by all means, I’ll be there. Vintage Pop is located at Cubao X, formerly Marikina Shoe Expo, Cubao, Quezon City; text 0918-500-3460 for an appointment.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 1:24 pm and is filed under Arts And Culture, Home Finds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.