This is a relatively new addition in the neighborhood.  I don’t know how I could have missed the construction phase of this fashion department store. It must’ve taken enormous amounts of manpower to find just the right busted-ass concrete blocks and boards to level out and correctly place in this parking lot. Hoards of workers scoured the area for additional busted-ass blocks to cordon off the parking “area” in front of it. They spared no expense in making it the newest fashion centrepiece of our fine community.

This “building,” which apparently spent a previous life as a shipping container, is now the home of “Cool Cat.” At least that’s how I would translate it. The first two syllables, “Naeng Dong,” mean freezing or refrigeration and the last three syllables mean “goyeongi” or cat. It’s not terribly uncommon for boxes to be re-appropriated as places of business here in Korea. Usually, however, they end up as shoe or clothing repair places where function not fashion is the order of the day. Sometimes they end up as a side-walk food vendor’s hovel, which is particular appetizing. This one is the first that tries make a purse from a sow’s ear.

I can just imagine the conversation women in town might have:

“Where ever did you find that lovely blouse, Mrs. Han?”

“Why, thank you, Mrs. Jin, I got it at that new store in town, Cool Cat. Only the coolest cats shop there.”

“You mean that bright yellow box trailer with the chrome window frame? Why that looks just like the dumpster that was behind our apartment hive. And now its Cool Cat! Where do you find these little jems?”

Personal style here in Korea is very big (unless you’re talking about the ajumma’s). A home’s cleanliness and fastidiousness is very important.  Even a store must be clean and tidy to attract customers. But it still amazes me that once outside the door of a home or business the care stops. Trash or just plain trashiness, much like the cinder blocks haphazardly placed for the leveling are everyday occurrences. Such juxtapositions of inside spotlessness and personal style next to outside rubbish and jerry-rigging still amazes me.

But that white and lavender shirt in the window does look fetching.