Malgorzata "Maggie"
Padlewska
Independent One-Woman-Crew
Documentarian
TIMELESS LEGACY:
THAILAND'S FIRST DEPARTMENT STORE
BANGKOK, THAILAND - June 28, 2019
In one of the world’s greatest shopping meccas, is a department store - not just any department store, but the very first of its kind in Thailand. The Nightingale Olympic - a legitimate time capsule, that still holds on to its former glory through it’s mere existence in a time and place that makes it practically incomprehensible.
Opening its doors in 1930 (yes, that's nearly a century ago!) in one of Bangkok's most vibrant neighouhoods (Chinatown), the Nightingale Olympic remains open until this very day! 98 year old Aroon Niyomvanich, the sister of the store's late founder - Nat, and her niece Phasuk continue to uphold their family's business and legacy..."day-by-day" they say, as they face an increasingly uncertain future.
PEOPLE & PLACES
WHY I CARE TO SHARE THIS STORY
It's very rare in this day and age to set foot in a business establishment that hasn't evolved with time...
unaffected by the opinions and trends as established by others.
Surrounded by countless stores carrying the latest products, the Nightingale Olympic is a rare gem that stands proudly in the heart of Thailand's capital - lead by the last surviving member of the siblings who opened its doors nearly a century ago. This is so much than a business and a store, it's a monument that honours an incredible family bond - from the past, to the present, and for the future.