[Profile] Jason Liew & Sarah Chen: The Visionaries Who Harmonized Heritage with Hospitality

The Profile Snapshot

In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, a unique transformation story is being written, not by a faceless corporation, but by two passionate entrepreneurs. Jason Liew and Sarah Chen are the co-founders and driving force behind "Vinyl & Brew," a concept that has breathed new life into a city landmark.

• 👨‍💼 Name: Jason Liew & Sarah Chen
• 🏷️ Role: Co-Founders & Managing Partners, Vinyl & Brew
• 🔑 Key Superpower: Heritage-Centric Placemaking & Experiential Branding

The Catalyst: Why It Matters

Liew and Chen are making headlines for their audacious yet respectful revival of the iconic 73-year-old "Tong Hing Record Store" on Jalan Petaling. Instead of demolishing history, they masterfully flipped the space into a thriving specialty cafe and cultural hub that actively preserves and celebrates its musical DNA. This project has become a case study in sustainable urban renewal, challenging the prevailing 'out with the old' development narrative in Kuala Lumpur and sparking conversations about the commercial value of cultural preservation.

The Leadership Dialogue: Inside The Mindset

For Jason Liew, the project was never just a real estate play. Reflecting on the first time he walked through the dusty aisles of the old store, he describes a palpable sense of responsibility. "We weren't just buying a lease," he emphasizes, his tone shifting to one of deep conviction. "We were being entrusted with a fragment of KL's soul. The original owner, Mr. Tan, had tears in his eyes when he handed over the keys. That moment framed our entire mission: evolution, not erasure."

Sarah Chen, the operational maestro, candidly admits the financial pressures of such a philosophy. Integrating original wooden display cabinets as table bases, restoring the vintage signboard, and maintaining a curated listening corner with a classic turntable and records all added layers of complexity and cost. "The easy path was a sleek, minimalist cafe," she says, gesturing around the space where the scent of espresso mingles with the faint, comforting smell of old wood. "But easy doesn't create magic. Our vision was a dialogue between epochs—where your latte is served against the backdrop of the very shelves that once held The Beatles' first pressings."

When speaking about their business model, Liew's eyes light up. He sees Vinyl & Brew as a "third space" for connection. "We're not selling coffee; we're selling an experience anchored in authenticity. The records on the wall aren't decor; they're a curated history lesson. We host local vinyl DJ nights and listening sessions. This creates a community, and a community sustains a business." Chen nods in agreement, adding that their leadership style is a symbiotic partnership: "Jason is the dreamer who sees the soul of a place. I am the architect who builds the vessel to carry that soul forward. It's a constant, creative tension that yields balance."

Career Milestones & Achievements

• Pioneered Heritage-Commerce Fusion: Successfully executed one of KL's first full-scale transformations of a pre-independence era specialty retail space into a profitable, modern F&B-cultural hybrid, setting a new benchmark for adaptive reuse.
• Secured Cross-Generational Endorsement: Garnered heartfelt public support from the original store's founding family and loyal elderly customers, while simultaneously becoming a top-rated hotspot for millennials and Gen Z, bridging a 50-year demographic gap.
• Built a Self-Sustaining Cultural Ecosystem: Developed a business where the preserved heritage (the vinyl records, the stories, the aesthetics) is the primary product differentiator, driving footfall, premium pricing, and media coverage without relying on generic marketing.
• Influenced Urban Dialogue: Their project has been featured in urban planning forums and cited by heritage advocates as a pragmatic model for preserving intangible cultural heritage through commercial innovation.

The Editor's Take

Jason Liew and Sarah Chen represent a new archetype of Malaysian entrepreneurial leadership: the Cultural Custodian-Entrepreneur. They possess the rare ability to monetize nostalgia without cheapening it, understanding that in a globalized world, authentic local roots are a potent competitive advantage. Their leadership is less about disruptive aggression and more about thoughtful synthesis—blending respect for the past with a sharp eye for contemporary consumer desires.

• 👁️ Visionary Thinking: 9/10
• ⚡ Execution Capability: 8/10
• 🌟 Industry Influence: 7/10 (Rapidly growing within F&B and urban development circles)

"The most sustainable foundation for a future-proof business is often laid with the bricks of the past. Our role isn't to start from scratch, but to listen to the stories the walls already tell, and write the next chapter with care." — Jason Liew & Sarah Chen