Pallet wood was recycled with simple tools, self-photographed, and self-listed for sale. The first customer came directly to the house to see the goods firsthand – they weren't in a hurry to buy. They stood, looked, touched each wood grain, and asked us how we made it. Some conversations lasted longer than a single order.
That's when Cậu Hai Home Decor understood: people don't just buy an item. They're looking for a feeling.
From the wood workshop, Cậu Hai started selling smaller items – lamps, stickers, wall decals, desk clocks. A small change could make someone's day a little easier. When the question "Why don't you open a store?" was repeated often enough by customers – it was no longer just a question. It was a sign.
Cậu Hai Home Decor's first store opened at 438 Sư Vạn Hạnh – not a complete space, just the ground floor with just enough money to open. There was no contingency plan. In the first year, Cậu Hai Home Decor didn't "grow" – it just survived. But one thing was never missing: returning customers.
Then we opened another floor. Not because of "business expansion" – but because there wasn't enough space to display. 6 months later, another floor. Then we rented the entire building. No step was grand. Just small steps, but never stopping.
At one point, Cậu Hai Home Decor realized: if we keep selling everything according to the market, we won't be anyone at all. From then on, Cậu Hai Home Decor started to choose – very carefully. We had to be trendsetters, not trend followers.
