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December 25, 2013

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Fengqi Road E. a witness to the changing city

By Xu Wenwen | December 25, 2013, Wednesday | Print Edition

It’s easy to trace the modern development of Hangzhou through changes in such streets as Fengqi Road E., which show various stages of urban growth along its three kilometers of length.

The westernmost part is near the center of the city and has many fashion stores and markets.

The middle is lined with dozens of tall, sleek glass buildings, home to many company offices occupied by white-collar workers.

Its eastern stretch, leading to the east part of the city and the Qiantang River, is ripe for more investment and business opportunities due to its location in a growing sub-center of the city.

Last week, Shanghai Daily highlighted some spots along the road to have a coffee or a bite. Today, we introduce some spots that illustrate the changing character of the road, and the city as well.

Fengqi Flower and Fish Market

This market started out in 1992 as a grocery market. It became a flower and pet market around 1996, and then a flower and ornamental fish market in 2010.

The evolution of the market reflects the changing lifestyles of nearby residents. In the early 1990s, the market was built to provide imported fruit and vegetables with the country’s reform and opening-up.

Over times, more and more booths in the market began to sell flowers as residents in the mid-1990s increasingly began to beautify their homes. The market soon became dominated by retail and wholesale flower businesses.

“Up until the mid-2000s, the market sold about 500 million flowers annually, about half of the flower business in Zhejiang Province,” says Liang Xiaodong, the market’s office manager.

The retail pet trade started to locate at the market. Dogs, especially, dominated the pet trade. “The trend of raising a dog as a pet started in the late 1990s,” says booth owner Xiao Wei, who has been running a fish and aquarium business for almost 10 years.

“Forty percent of the market sold flowers and plants, 40 percent sold dogs, and the rest sold birds and fish,” he says.

The prosperous pet trade lasted until 2010, but many businesses had to shut down because the noise from barking dogs and twittering birds disturbed residents nearby.

The market got a facelift and reopened in 2010, and now it’s brighter, larger and cleaner. The dogs and birds are gone and fish are in. Now, the market mainly sells flowers, fish and pet turtles, aquariums and accessories.

Address: 25 Fengqi Rd E. (south gate) and 198 Kaixuan Rd (west gate)

Xintang Road

With more office buildings popping up near the middle of Fengqi Road E., many dining options have turned up at the southern part of Xintang Road, which has been transformed from a small road to a food street frequented by a large number of white-collar workers nearby.

There are restaurants that provide fast food, such as noodles and fried rice, and others serving more complete but affordable meals.

For fast food, She Tou Er (meaning tongue) and Noodle Sunshine are welcoming. She Tou Er sells handmade noodles and wraps, and Noodle Sunshine specializes in vermicelli. Prices average about 15 yuan (US$2.47) per person.

The franchise restaurant Aying Pot has a branch there, specializing in pots of boiled meat or freshwater fish with vegetables. Also, Xiang Zui and Zui Mei restaurants offer local-style meals at about 50 yuan per person.

For D Casa

Not too many people know that fashion brands Fendi and Kenzo not only produce bags but also furniture, and this “fashion furniture” is now available at Four D Casa.

“They picked Hangzhou since the city is third in consumption of luxuries (in China) after Shanghai and Beijing,” says Xie Minmin, marketing manager of For D Casa.

Both of the brands clearly show their fashion pedigree. A Fendi cushion is made of the same material as its latest suits. Kenzo stools with casters are in the shape of its classic bucket bag — and even come with a strap.

The store also sells international furniture brands like Giorgett, Poltrona Frau and luxury bed brand Duxiana.

Four D also hires international designers to customize furniture for the Chinese market. “I take feng shui into consideration because I worked for Chinese customers,” Italian interior designer Alessio Sghinolfi says.

For instance, Sghinolfi learns the customer’s zodiac animal and the lunar birthday first, and then lays out the suitable décor, including such factors as the color and the direction of a desk in a study.

Address: 338 Fengqi Rd E.

Tel: (0571) 8698-2555

 

Hangzhou


 

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