KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — There are treasures wherever we look: from vinyl records to vintage dolls. Every corner reveals another nostalgic surprise.

There’s a Ghostbusters original soundtrack album from Japan on one shelf. Hanging nearby is a bootleg plaque of Tintin au Vietnam (no such book exists; Hergé never wrote an adventure featuring everyone’s favourite boy reporter in Vietnam).

Every new piece of memorabilia we discover is a test of trivia or a call to investigate; every revelation more satisfying than we could ever imagine.

I even spot the iconic Classic Black Kit-Cat Clock, first made in the USA in the 1950s. Slight creepy with its rolling eyes and wagging tail, but that’s if you even see it.

Blink and you’d miss it; there are so many mementos to catch your eye.

Which is the appeal of General Store in Kuchai Lama, a shop that offers collectibles, crafts and coffee in a café setting.

There is bric-a-brac galore, from Batman posters to skateboards. But exploring the curated goods further will have to wait; first: coffee, please.

We take the safe route: a long black and flat white. Just enough caffeine to wake us up properly. It’s early enough for a weekend that, though the sunlight is pouring in through the windows, we still remember the comfort of our pillows.

Coffee consumed, time for food. The menu here is full of bountiful bakes, from sourdough breads and focaccia to cakes, doughnuts and pastries. So many choices.

In the end, we decided on lighter items since we have an early brunch appointment afterwards.

So instead of a massive focaccia sandwich stuffed with tomatoes, rocket and cheese, we went for a more minimalist platter of espresso walnut sourdough bread with butter.

The dark coffee flavours really come through each slice of bread; the nuggets of walnuts add a tender crunch. Spread the thin discs of butter and every bite feels almost indulgent.

Croissant or chocolate fudge cake? Perhaps something savoury: so the cheese sausage twist it is. Flaky and substantial enough to tide us over till brunch.

The real draw might be to let your eyes wander even as you sip your coffee slowly. Every angle, every turn, promises new discoveries.

On one concrete pillar, Nippon nostalgia abounds, from a framed print of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy to stickers of Godzilla and the Tokyo Tower.

Across the room, a “widescreen” pegboard acts as the backdrop for an eclectic assortment of contemporary collectibles and retro ephemera: Purple Rain by Prince, a vertical print of The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Star Wars figurines, a poster of the 1962 epic Western How the West Was Won and more.

Where else might Betty Boop share the same space as Bruno race cars?

Such decorative flourishes create an ambience appropriate for all manner of creative activities. Just the weekend before, our barista tells us, there was a group journaling session. Other gatherings run the gamut from social chess clubs to tattoo art events.

More than a third place, then. More than coffee, collectibles and cakes, General Store is a place for the community. A true community café.

General Store

1-3, Dataran Loka, 

Jalan Kuchai Lama, 

Taman Continental, KL

Open Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat & Sun 9am–8pm

Phone: 012-232 8373

Web: https://www.generalstore.my/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/generalstore.my/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/generalstore.com.my/

For more food fables and café chronicles, visit Life for Beginners.

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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