While today's youth are accustomed to listening to music with just a few taps on a smartphone, Nau Café & Workshop Cassette - a small shop tucked away on Nguyen Luong Bang Street in Hanoi - transports many back to a time when enjoying music was a truly fascinating experience: choosing a disc, opening the cassette lid, pressing play, and listening to authentic, tracks.
While today's youth are accustomed to listening to music with just a few taps on a smartphone, Nau Café & Workshop Cassette - a small shop tucked away on Nguyen Luong Bang Street in Hanoi - transports many back to a time when enjoying music was a truly fascinating experience: choosing a disc, opening the cassette lid, pressing play, and listening to authentic, tracks.
The space and smooth music of Nau Café & Workshop Cassette attracts young people. More than just a simple café, Nau Café & Workshop Cassette is like a "record store that serves coffee". Every item there holds a nostalgic story, and every song resonates with a unique analog feel that no digital format can replicate. What is interesting is that both founders, Duong Dang Cuong and Nguyen Dinh Hieu, were born in 1997 - a generation that grew up with MP3s, YouTube, and Spotify. However, their connection to traditional music culture came about naturally and quite unexpectedly.
Nau Café & Workshop Cassette was founded by two young friends, Duong Dang Cuong and Nguyen Dinh Hieu.
Hieu said, "Because I love second-hand items, I used to collect T-shirts with foreign bands on them. From there, I became curious about music from the 90s and gradually embarked on a journey of collecting CDs, record players, and cassette decks".
After five years of nurturing this passion and accumulating his collection, Hieu wanted to create a space where people could not only enjoy coffee but also experience music the way previous generations did. He shared the idea with his close high school friend, Cuong, and they quickly began working on it. In 2023, Nau Café & Workshop Cassette officially opened, making their dream a reality.
There are many music experience spaces, ranging from shared areas to private nooks.
What makes Nau Café & Workshop Cassette leave a deep impression on customers is not just the music experience but also the space itself, designed to feel like a vintage record shop.
At Nau Café & Workshop Cassette, the entire music listening experience-from using the classic players to selecting the tapes and records-is free. The staff is always ready to patiently guide customers, especially young people who may be unfamiliar with analog devices. This is what makes the experience at the café not only enjoyable but also a journey of discovery./.
The center of the café - where music is played on vinyl records every day.
A space for a unique experience that attracts many young people.
The cassette area: each seat has its own music player, allowing guests to work and enjoy music according to their personal preference.
An ideal space to enjoy a drink and discover vintage recording equipment.
The outdoor area is popular among young people for conversation.
| Nau Café & Workshop Cassette currently boasts an impressive collection of about 2,000 CDs, hundreds of cassette players, and many rare vinyl records. |
Story: Ngan Ha Photos: Khanh Long/VNP Translated by Hong Hanh