Changsha stall owner interprets youth's life attitude with new consumption style

36-year-old Li Yin is a Changsha local. He and three of his friends opened a stall selling yakitori at Wuyi Square, one of the most popular business districts in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province. (Note: “Yakitori” refers to skewered chicken in Japanese, or Japanese kebab in general.)

Photo shows Li Yin, a local business founder in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province. (People’s Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

Formerly a singer, Li admits that he has little experience in running stalls. “None of us in our team has done anything related to running stalls before,” said Li. “All we want is to try something that we feel is interesting. For us, running stalls represents the lifestyle that we want and the lifestyle of future younger generations.”

Photo shows the “Lucky” yakitori stall run by Li Yin (People’s Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

There is a saying that Li fully agrees with: Changsha is a place where you cannot make friends unless you drink. “In my opinion, instead of sticking to the traditional consumption forms, young people nowadays are looking for something different that can show off their personalities,” said Li. “That’s why our stall provides an atmosphere where people can meet for a drink and socialize, not just dine.”

Photo shows Li Yin (left) and his “Lucky” yakitori stall. (People’s Daily Online/Yuan Meng)

In recent years, several sorts of new consumption styles and forms have emerged in Changsha. This growing vitality has made it increasingly attractive to people outside the city.

While he is continuously exploring more interesting career options, Li has high expectations of the potential of new consumption styles in Changsha. “I think there will be more young people exploring more fascinating consumption forms that are way more interesting than opening stalls, and we will keep on going regardless of the number of customers or weather conditions,” said Li.