TPW – Chapter 115

January 20th — Grand Opening of Purple Dragonfly Fashion!

A brand-new store launch comes with limited-time promotional events.

Regular customers of Purple Dragonfly know: every time there’s a promotion, it’s always a popular and unmissable opportunity to grab great bargains.

This time, it’s an even bigger event. In addition to buy-one-get-one-free on selected items and limited-time offers on new arrivals, there’s also a “Spend & Win Lucky Draw” campaign.

A total of 200 raffle tickets have been prepared. For every purchase of 30 yuan, you get one chance to draw, 60 yuan gets two, and so on. Prizes are categorized into First, Second, Third, and Participation Awards.

First Prize is a Meihua (Plum Blossom) brand wristwatch worth 600 yuan.

Back in the 1980s, a Meihua watch was as prestigious as a Rolex today. Once this prize was announced, it sparked intense buzz.

Many asked: “Spending just 30 yuan gives me a chance to win a watch? Seriously?”

It sounded too good to be true!

The couple smiled at each other, and Xu Haizhou said with a chuckle, “Yes, the promotion is authentic — no tricks. If you’re lucky enough to win, we’ll hand over the watch right on the spot!”

At that, the crowd was filled with gasps of astonishment.

Second Prize: Two Butterfly brand 115 model pocket-sized FM/AM stereo radios, each worth 200 yuan — also drawing a lot of interest.

Third Prize: Three Camel electric fans, each valued at 40 yuan. Although cheaper than the top two prizes, they still sparked excitement among the crowd.

Participation Award: A 5-liter barrel of soybean oil!

Nowadays, who doesn’t like cooking oil? Highly practical and appreciated!

In fact, to some people, a barrel of soybean oil is more attractive than a radio or a watch.

With about half a month until the 1986 Spring Festival, it’s the golden time for clothing and fashion sales. Opening the store now was a well-calculated move.

So, on the first day, thanks to the prime location and distinctive interior design, the Purple Dragonfly store was surrounded by a sea of people.

Cheerful festive songs, pre-arranged by Qiao Lu, played softly on the radio — just loud enough to be heard a few meters outside the store.

The staff shouted with enthusiasm: “Grand Opening Sale! Limited-Time Event, Limited-Time Prizes! Massive discounts, rush before it’s too late!”

There were two store assistants and one manager. With Xu Haizhou and Qiao Lu also present for the opening, six people easily handled the customer flow. After the event, three staff would be enough for daily operations.

Qiao Lu also set up a promotional signboard at the entrance — a self-designed commercial poster detailing the event.

The vivid, eye-catching design attracted passing pedestrians, who stopped to check it out. Only then did they realize that this fashion store was newly opened and holding an opening-day promotion.

However, just when many were about to walk in out of curiosity, they were startled by the “luxurious” decor, hesitating and even stepping back.

A crowd formed at the entrance — no one dared to go in.

Xu Haizhou and the others found this amusing and had the clerks enthusiastically welcome customers:

“Feel free to try anything you like. No pressure to buy. Just take a look — it costs nothing to browse.”

“There are free fitting rooms inside. If you like something but can’t find your size, just ask a clerk to help you.”

People started whispering among themselves, excitement rising over this new store.

The store design was based on 2022 aesthetics, a bold and futuristic move, modified slightly to blend into the 1980s vibe.

Just like their store on Baiyun Street, items were separated into two storefronts:

The windowed storefront displayed high-end custom pieces. Behind the glass was a white plush rug with three half-body mannequins wearing the store’s most beautiful and eye-catching dresses.

Even though it was winter, they still sold dresses. As long as paired with a coat or padded jacket, a winter dress was quite suitable for southern towns like Lian’an.

The other storefront, accessible through a glass door, carried more affordable everyday wear, suitable for all ages. Purple Dragonfly only sold women’s clothing, sticking to a unified style. Including menswear would have felt out of place.

After all, in 2022, outside of sports brand stores, no one mixes men’s and women’s clothing in the same boutique — the trend is for clear separation.

The Baiyun Street store focused on budget fashion, so mixed gender clothing was normal. But here, aiming for a high-end image, menswear was a no-go.

Time ticked by, and five minutes later, two young women walked in, hand-in-hand.

Once one group entered, more followed. The place became increasingly crowded, with everyone coming in cautiously.

Most visitors were young women — the clothes were so unique and novel, they just couldn’t walk away, even with the high prices.

They all thought: “It’s free to try anyway!”

But there’s a saying: “Free is the most expensive.” Who knows if they’ll be pressured into buying something?

So they waited and watched.

When they saw someone try on clothes and leave without buying, with no pressure from the staff or owner, they finally felt comfortable enough to head into the fitting rooms.

That’s when Qiao Lu’s foresight truly paid off — one storefront wouldn’t have been enough to hold all these customers!

Fortunately, most weren’t here to buy, just to admire the store’s stunning interior. Everyone was polite — they browsed and left, not disrupting business.

A few young girls gathered around the “treasure of the shop”, whispering:

“This store’s decor is so special, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Me neither.”

“Hey, look over there, behind the glass — that dress is gorgeous.”

“But it’s winter now. If I buy a dress, my mom will scold me.”

“What are you afraid of? Didn’t you notice? That dress is knitted!”

“Oh wow, you’re right! I’ve never seen a knitted dress before!”

They reached out to feel it — the texture was excellent: smooth, soft, tightly woven, flawless craftsmanship.

“How much is this, boss?”

A clerk immediately approached. There was a price tag on the collar.

“Hello, comrade, that dress is 126 yuan.”

Hiss— the girls’ expressions changed. Their legs froze — unsure whether to stay or go.

Qiao Lu noticed their reaction and walked over, asking gently, “Is something wrong?”

She glanced at the girls’ faces and seemed to understand. She asked the clerk, “Did you apply the discount?”

It was the clerk’s first day at Purple Dragonfly, and with both bosses present, she got nervous and forgot to apply the discount.

Embarrassed, she quickly lowered her head and nervously grabbed paper and pen: “I-I’ll calculate it now…”

At the time, there were no calculators — either you used an abacus or did the math manually.

This young salesgirl clearly didn’t know how to use an abacus, so she opted to calculate by hand.

Before she could finish, Qiao Lu interjected:

“Today is our grand opening — all custom pieces are 15% off. This dress comes to 107 yuan. If you like it, feel free to try it on.”

She watched their expressions brighten — just a bit — and smiled knowingly.

She could tell these girls weren’t well-off — probably students, maybe high school or college.

“It’s a bit expensive… we’ll look around some more…”

“Yes, this section features our custom designs, which are a bit pricier — better suited for financially independent women. But they’re guaranteed to be one of a kind in the city. If you’re still in school, I suggest checking out the other section.”

She then led them to the more affordable storefront.

“This side has our regular range — even items for 20 or 30 yuan. Please take your time — trying is free.”

Hesitating, they ultimately couldn’t resist: “Then we’ll have a look around…”

You couldn’t blame them for lingering despite the prices — the store was stunning, absolutely capturing their girlish hearts.

Right now, the fanciest “high-end” shopping place was the department store, right?

But this store’s setup was elegant and tastefully luxurious, far more striking than any department store.

They just couldn’t bear to leave.

Looking down, the floor tiles were so clean they reflected their own images.

From the ceiling, recessed spotlights shone beams of light — not pure white, but with a soft yellow glow.

The store was bright and cheerful — even on a gloomy day, it felt like sunshine, making the clothes look even more appealing.

With such ambiance, even customers who weren’t into fashion felt tempted to buy — the urge to spend was irresistible.