Barom Bhicharnchitr, Senior Vice President of Central Retail, viewing the exhibition “The Origins of Central Since 1950” at Central: The Original Store, Charoen Krung. “The Origins of Central Since 1950” weaves the story of Central’s rich retail history, tracing the company’s beginnings in this building as Central Trading Company Limited, reimagined today as Central: The Original Store. The exhibition tells the stories of father-and-son founders Tiang and Samrit Chirathivat—their philosophies and business practices that gave meaning to Central as “the heart of the community, enriching society and the economy.” Central’s successes stemmed from the hardworking ethics and the unity of the Chirathivat family. Central Trading Co., Ltd. on 1266 Charoen Krung Road, then known as Bangkok’s “New Road”, was the first property the Chirathivat family owned. The opening of this store on July 5, 1950, selling a variety of lifestyle merchandise from new and back-numbered magazines and books to fashion items and household goods, contributed to the era’s changing urban culture and lifestyle and affirmed the company’s roots as Bangkok’s window to the West. The exhibition guides you through Central's history with hand-painted murals of Tiang, Samrit and Central’s first store, reimagining the humble yet dynamic beginnings of the company. Samplings of original 1950s merchandise give you a glimpse of the culture and lifestyle trends of a post-war, Thai society, and a pop-up panel of Central “milestones”—the Central branches and their shaping of different communities across Bangkok—walks you through the aspiration of past, present and future generations of Central to support the national economy. A collage of magazine covers recalls Central’s bookstore heritage as an early importer of new and back-numbered magazines from America and Europe. A window display and 1950s advertisement give a nod to the era of Central Silom and international events featuring trendsetting products that can be purchased “only at Central”. A “Q&A” with Samrit dives into the values and philosophies of the retail pioneer and Central co-founder. Finally, photography and stories from mid-century Charoen Krung recount the impact of the original store on Bangkok’s early creative community, taking you back in time and giving you a taste of the “New Road” era. Capturing a variety of early anecdotes, “The Origins of Central Since 1950” bridges Bangkok’s contemporary visitors with the lessons and experiences that made Central a leading global retail brand today. CENTRAL GROUP LAUNCHES CENTRAL: THE ORIGINAL STORE, A HOMAGE TO ITS ROOTS IN BANGKOK’S FIRST COSMOPOLITAN STREET Bangkok, Thailand, 28 October 2020 – Thailand’s leading retailer Central Group announces the launch of Central: The Original Store, a new culture station located at the Group’s original general store building in Bangkok’s Charoen Krung district. Central: The Original Store is a revival of the brand’s storied retail lineage; it bridges the past and the present, paying homage to the retail brand’s roots by offering content that links the building’s mid-twentieth century origins and its history with contemporary lifestyle offerings. Back to the Origin The original store was the very first asset bought by Central Group’s founders, father-and-son Tiang and Samrit Chirathivat, in 1950 on Charoen Krung Road. Known for their imports of Western books, magazines and products, this store was a place where Bangkok people and foreigners came for imported goods, ideas and inspiration from abroad, becoming a portal to the world and a source for international culture for Thai people. Along with its neighbouring jazz bars and restaurants, this store was one of the key establishments that made Charoen Krung, known as Bangkok’s New Road, the most cosmopolitan street of its time. In October 2020, the launch of the new Central: The Original Store revives this 1950s legacy within a contemporary context. Central: The Original Store is the new cultural hub that offers specialty books and merchandise, a library, exhibition and event space, restaurant, café and music bar – a gathering place for Bangkok’s new urban generation. Central: The Original Store Central: The Original Store is comprised of a small complex anchored by the main 5-storey building conected by a courtyard to an antique 2-storey house. The structure has been re-imagined by renowned Belgian minimalist architect Vincent Van Duysen, and is his first project in Southeast Asia. Level 1 on the ground floor features a shop selling vintage magazines, lifestyle books about the era, Cenrtral: The Original Store souvenirs, a café and music bar, reflecting the store’s history of selling books, magazines and imported goods. Level 2 features the new Kolophon Retail Library, with more than a thousand book titles and modern digital databases covering food, fashion, design and business stories. Celebrating Central’s legacy as a pioneer and continuing leader of Thailand’s retail industry, The Kolophon Retail Library is Bangkok’s first library devoted to retail history, education and learning, and is a knowledge and resource center for retail business. Levels 3 and 4 are exhibition and event spaces. Level 3 presents Central Space, a venue for Central stories and temporary exhibitions. Currently on display is ‘The Origins of Central Since 1950’, which recounts and reimagines the stories of Central Group’s history since its early days at Central Trading Co., Ltd. Both Levels 3 and 4 are open to various event possibilities, including art exhibitions and openings, performances, meetings and social gatherings. Level 5 is the home of the new Aksorn Thai restaurant, Michelin-star Chef David Thompson’s first restaurant to open in Bangkok in over 10 years. Featuring mid-twentieth century recipes from the chef’s personal collection of vintage Thai recipe books, Aksorn Restaurant highlights old-time recipes from the chef’s archives, featuring a new menu every three months. Aksorn’s interiors, designed by Japanese design studio Tripsters, evokes the mood of a diner from the 1950s era. The courtyard does double duty as a place to enjoy coffee and meals by day and music by night. When evening falls, the space transforms into Siwilai Sound Club, where live jazz music evokes the energy of The New Road golden era, when Charoen Krung Road buzzed with jazz bars and an international beat that attracted the city’s cool crowd. With timeless interiors conceptualized by Japanese design studio Tripsters, with over 1,000 vinyl records Siwilai Sound Club is a destination for music aficionados to enjoy a ground floor that hosts live bands, and a second floor completely devoted to vinyl, that will host vinyl-only DJs. Reviving the Roots of Bangkok’s Multicultural District True to its roots, Central: The Original Store sets new firsts that move this district forward as a place for ideas and inspiration - innovating Bangkok’s first retail library and retail knowledge centre, and launching Michelin chef David Thompson’s first new restaurant in Bangkok in over a decade. Central: The Original Store is where the old meets the new. An homage to Central's founding era in the context of the modern day, reflecting the family's aspiration to enhance the quality of life of Bangkok's communities and its neighbourhoods, bridging the culture and spirit of mid-century Charoen Krung with a modern experience that welcomes all generations. For further information contact: Central: The Original Store 1266 Charoen Krung Road Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Tel: +662 267 0412 E-mail: centraltheoriginalstore@central.co.th Social Media: FB https://www.facebook.com/central.theoriginalstore IG https://www.instagram.com/central.theoriginalstore Thank you for your kind cooperation. For more information, contact our public relations team: Ms. Punthita Sottiluk (Nueng) T.02-254-7071-6 ext.118 / M. 090-954-1459 E-mail: sopunthita@centralembassy.com Ms. Chayatorn Jaroenwisan (Sai) T.02-254-7071-6 ext.122 / M. 093-632-6915 E-mail: jachayatorn@centralembassy.com  Ms. Pissamai Teanpairoj (Id) T.02-254-7071-6 ext.120 / M. 092-264-6844 E-mail: tepissamai@centralembassy.com Published caption : Central to our memories  Barom Bhicharnchitr, Central Retail’s Senior Vice President, takes a look at ‘The Origins of Central Since 1950’ display at Central: The Original Store, Charoen Krung. The exhibition tells the story of father-and-son founders Tiang and Samrit Chirathivat — their philosophies and business practices that gave meaning to Central as ‘the heart of the community, enriching society and the economy’.