Chapter 787 Buying a Shop The next day, Lu Qingyang, with his budget in hand and in a good mood, strolled over to the original grain and oil shop he had his eye on.
He thought to himself that the rent for a closed shop should be negotiable.
The person who came out to greet him was a middle-aged man wearing a brand-new Chinese suit and with his hair slicked back, who introduced himself as surnamed Jin.
Comrade Jin was holding two shiny walnuts in his hand, and when he spoke, his eyes kept glancing at the ceiling, as if he were negotiating with the roof beams.
“Oh, comrade, you have a good eye. The location of my shop is impeccable, with the left side being the Green Dragon and the right side the White Tiger, a place where the wind can gather and the energy can be gathered... It is true that it used to belong to the street, but now I have bought it privately. The property rights are clear, and I have no cheating on anyone, young or old.”
Lu Qingyang's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface and asked with a smile, "Comrade Jin, how much is the rent for this shop?"
Landlord Jin held up a few fingers and slowly announced a number: "Sixty yuan a month."
This price is 40% higher than the same small shops next door, almost matching the prices in some busy areas.
“Comrade Jin, look, this shop has been vacant for a while now. The windows are almost completely covered in dust. If we rent it, we’ll have to renovate it inside and out, which will be quite an investment.”
Landlord Jin crackled the walnuts, chuckling, "Comrade, don't put it that way. This place is in a prime location! Just listen to what kind of people live around here. They're all people who're willing to spend money! If you open a restaurant here, wouldn't that be like opening a treasure trove? You can easily earn back my rent by selling just a few plates of dumplings!"
He leaned closer: "To be honest, several people came to ask about this yesterday. One of them was a boss from the south, who was incredibly generous... I only spoke to you first because you look kind and seem like a genuine businessman."
Lu Qingyang knew exactly what was going on; he'd seen this "price gouging" and "creating competition" tactic countless times.
He wasn't in a hurry. He just nodded, circled the dusty shop again, and pointed to a water seepage mark in the corner: "Comrade Jin, your treasure bowl seems to be leaking money. Who's going to pay for the roof repairs?"
The landlord's smile froze for a moment.
Lu Qingyang continued slowly, "Besides, you said that southern bosses are generous. If they really open a restaurant, they must be more knowledgeable than our old brand, and they must be more patient in serving their neighbors. What if they go out of business after two months? Wouldn't your shop just be sitting empty and gathering dust again?"
He didn't mention lowering the price, but he still hit the nail on the head.
Finally, he dusted off his hands and said in a relaxed tone, "As for the rent, you can think about it some more. We sincerely want to rent it, but we have to live within our means. This price is almost enough to rent a street-front shop in Xidan. If you really have a hard time, we can look around elsewhere. After all, Beijing is so big, there must be something suitable."
After saying that, he made a move to leave.
Now it was Comrade Jin's turn to start calculating in his mind.
Seeing that a seemingly reliable and knowledgeable tenant was about to leave, he no longer played with the pair of walnuts in his hand with the same calm and collected demeanor as before.
Looking at Comrade Jin's feigned contemplation, which was actually a plea for a higher price, Lu Qingyang's already dwindling patience melted away like an icicle exposed to the sun.
He still wore that harmless smile on his face, but in his mind, he had already marked the landlord who was playing with walnuts with a cross.
He politely interrupted the other party's prepared remarks: "Your shop is indeed nice, but it's a bit... not quite right for our small business budget. Please take your time to consider it. We're not in a hurry. Let's look around elsewhere first."
After saying that, he turned around briskly and left without any hesitation, leaving Comrade Jin standing there, holding the cigarette he had just intended to use to have a heart-to-heart talk, his hand frozen in mid-air, forgetting to even pick up the walnuts.
As Lu Qingyang walked, he shook his head inwardly: "Dealing with such an unreliable person, even if you rent it for five yuan less today, tomorrow he'll see your business is doing well and he'll definitely find an excuse to raise the rent. In the end, the wrangling will be more tiring than doing business."
He simply walked a few dozen meters further in on the same street and turned into a relatively quiet side street.
It's not particularly eye-catching here, but the people coming and going are mostly residents from the neighborhood.
He immediately took a liking to a closed room that could have been a neighborhood committee activity room or a small library.
The windows are quite large, providing good natural light, and there's an old locust tree by the door that provides shade in the summer.
Upon further inquiry, it was learned that the property rights of this house still belong to the local government and it has not been sold to a private individual.
Lu Qingyang was also very straightforward and went directly to his neighborhood office.
He was greeted by a female cadre from the neighborhood committee surnamed Wu, who was wearing arm sleeves and spoke crisply and concisely.
Lu Qingyang explained his purpose, and Officer Wu adjusted his glasses and gave a price, which was almost half the price of what he had just paid.
Lu Qingyang immediately felt much better.
Officer Wu added, “This place is quiet, but if you cook good food, you won’t have to worry about not having customers. Our street also supports revitalizing the economy. It’s a good thing that you open this place and provide a convenient place for the residents to eat. It’s just that the house is a bit old and it will take some effort to clean it up.”
Lu Qingyang thought to himself, since he was going to do renovations anyway, he might as well buy the property in advance to avoid any unexpected problems in the future.
"I was just thinking about it, and instead of renting, we're considering buying this house. I'm wondering if there's any policy on this in the area, and how the price would be calculated?"
Officer Wu was clearly a bit surprised. He adjusted his glasses and re-evaluated the young man before him. Privately buying shop space was a rare thing these days; it required not only courage but also considerable resources.
Officer Wu hesitated for a moment, "The policy... allows it, but the procedures are more complicated than leasing, and as for the price..."
She took out her abacus and started clicking away for a while, then announced a number: "Fifteen thousand!"
Lu Qingyang nodded: "I understand the price. How about this? We are definitely serious about wanting it. Please help us apply for it and see what the final policy and lowest price are. We will also prepare the funds and try to finalize this as soon as possible."
Officer Wu's expression softened somewhat: "Alright, it's good that you have this determination. I'll report to the leadership. You should also go back and think it over carefully, after all, this is a serious matter."
A few days later, Lu Qingyang, who was at school, received a phone call: "The final price is 1,200. Comrade, do you want it?"
"Yes, of course I want it. I'll go over as soon as I have time."
Lu Qingyang thought for a moment and then added, "I'll go tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll wait for you to come over."
No matter where you buy a house in Beijing, you'll make money in the future. Not to mention this area, which is slated for demolition, you'll definitely want to buy it.
The next day, Lu Qingyang withdrew the money and went to buy the shop.
This place will be his from now on, but it still needs some renovation, especially to create a decent kitchen.
Liu Dong has been learning from Master Chen for several years, and it's time for him to start his own business. This is his new starting point.
Turning around, Lu Qingyang told Liu Dong the good news.
"This is the main store. The branch in Dongcheng will be managed by you two from now on. You will not only receive capital, but also a share of the store's profits."
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