Related News
Mall makeovers, trendy new haunts for shopaholics
By Michelle Zhang |
June 26, 2009, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI has more trendy shopping destinations than ever before as new stores and revived complexes open in city sub-centers and downtown. Michelle Zhang window shops.
Earlier this year, when Cici Xu first saw the logos of H&M and Zara on the big board outside Channel One, then under construction, she could hardly believe her eyes, and her good luck.
The property at the crossroads of Shaanxi Road N. and Changshou Road used to be a mega supermarket frequented by housewives and old people.
However, since it was re-launched in late April, it has become a popular haunt for young people.
Xu, who lives two blocks away from the six-story shopping complex, is exhilarated, not only because she can now shop at H&M and Zara at her doorstep, but also because, as she says, "I don't have to travel a long way to the city center for a piece of nicely baked cake."
Positioning itself to be the "epicenter of all things hip, trendy and stylish," Channel One makes sure that all the tenants meet the needs of the city's young trendsetters.
Apart from the four-story shopping area that gathers international fashion brands, there is also a two-story dining area offering a variety of popular options at affordable prices.
"My husband and I don't have to worry about where to have dinner anymore," says 25-year-old Xu, who moved to the area about a year ago after she got married.
Like many of their counterparts, the young couple couldn't afford an apartment in the traditional city center where life is convenient. They bought a second-hand house in Putuo District, where Channel One is located, as an alternative.
More and more shopping centers are built up in the city's sub-centers to cater to young couples like Xu and her husband.
Many of them, such as Channel One and 96 Plaza on Dongfang Road in Pudong, were transformed from old buildings that had poor business or wrong positioning.
Positioning is crucial even for prime locations. Built in 1917, Wings Hongxiang Department Store on Nanjing Road W. used to be Shanghai's Harrod's. It was, however, closed last year because of its blurred positioning. The tenants it chose at that time, including Japan's Muji and Hong Kong's Sasa Cosmetics, had very little in common.
The four-story building is now home to Marks & Spencer's first store on the Chinese mainland, selling items from clothing to food. Unlike other shopping malls on the same street, the British retail giant only sells products under its own brands. It includes larger sizes for Western women.
Unlike high-street fashion brands such as H&M and Zara, it provides a wider range of products than fashion garments.
"The business so far has met our expectation for the Shanghai store," says Phil Zhang, brand manager of Marks & Spencer China. "We target China's growing middle-class customers, who enjoy our products of good value and quality."
Similar changes have taken place in the former Huaihai Cinema, today housing Barbie's first six-story flagship store in the world, and in Yimin Department Store, which is now home to a four-story H&M store at the crossroads of Huaihai Road M. and Sinan Road.
Huating Isetan, one of Shanghai's earliest joint-venture department stores, closed its doors late last year because of its poor business performance compared with competitors along Huaihai Road M. It will be replaced, most likely, by an IKEA-style functional furniture store by the end of this year.
Two blocks away from the Marks & Spencer building is Shanghai's so-called "ultimate" shopping destination for luxury brands, comprised of the Shanghai Center, Plaza 66, Citic Square, and most recently, Golden Eagle department store.
The newly renovated Golden Eagle shopping mall on Shaanxi Road N. houses the flagship stores of both Gucci and Bottega Veneta, as well as brands such as Y-3, See by Chloe, McQ and D-Mop.
"We want to attract fashionable office ladies from nearby office buildings, as well as people who travel to Shanghai from neighboring cities to shop for luxury goods," says Wang Si from the marketing department of the shopping complex.
Before it was closed for renovation a year ago, Golden Eagle was known as an "outlet" where people could find discounts, off-season products of various brands (excluding luxury brands) - which was a sharp contrast to its neighbors, Citic Square and Plaza 66.
Deng Lin, a wealthy lady from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, who often takes weekend trips to Shanghai for shopping, welcomes the changes.
"It saves me a lot of time," she says. "I don't have to go to other parts of the city to look for some brands that I can now find in the new Golden Eagle."
Earlier this year, when Cici Xu first saw the logos of H&M and Zara on the big board outside Channel One, then under construction, she could hardly believe her eyes, and her good luck.
The property at the crossroads of Shaanxi Road N. and Changshou Road used to be a mega supermarket frequented by housewives and old people.
However, since it was re-launched in late April, it has become a popular haunt for young people.
Xu, who lives two blocks away from the six-story shopping complex, is exhilarated, not only because she can now shop at H&M and Zara at her doorstep, but also because, as she says, "I don't have to travel a long way to the city center for a piece of nicely baked cake."
Positioning itself to be the "epicenter of all things hip, trendy and stylish," Channel One makes sure that all the tenants meet the needs of the city's young trendsetters.
Apart from the four-story shopping area that gathers international fashion brands, there is also a two-story dining area offering a variety of popular options at affordable prices.
"My husband and I don't have to worry about where to have dinner anymore," says 25-year-old Xu, who moved to the area about a year ago after she got married.
Like many of their counterparts, the young couple couldn't afford an apartment in the traditional city center where life is convenient. They bought a second-hand house in Putuo District, where Channel One is located, as an alternative.
More and more shopping centers are built up in the city's sub-centers to cater to young couples like Xu and her husband.
Many of them, such as Channel One and 96 Plaza on Dongfang Road in Pudong, were transformed from old buildings that had poor business or wrong positioning.
Positioning is crucial even for prime locations. Built in 1917, Wings Hongxiang Department Store on Nanjing Road W. used to be Shanghai's Harrod's. It was, however, closed last year because of its blurred positioning. The tenants it chose at that time, including Japan's Muji and Hong Kong's Sasa Cosmetics, had very little in common.
The four-story building is now home to Marks & Spencer's first store on the Chinese mainland, selling items from clothing to food. Unlike other shopping malls on the same street, the British retail giant only sells products under its own brands. It includes larger sizes for Western women.
Unlike high-street fashion brands such as H&M and Zara, it provides a wider range of products than fashion garments.
"The business so far has met our expectation for the Shanghai store," says Phil Zhang, brand manager of Marks & Spencer China. "We target China's growing middle-class customers, who enjoy our products of good value and quality."
Similar changes have taken place in the former Huaihai Cinema, today housing Barbie's first six-story flagship store in the world, and in Yimin Department Store, which is now home to a four-story H&M store at the crossroads of Huaihai Road M. and Sinan Road.
Huating Isetan, one of Shanghai's earliest joint-venture department stores, closed its doors late last year because of its poor business performance compared with competitors along Huaihai Road M. It will be replaced, most likely, by an IKEA-style functional furniture store by the end of this year.
Two blocks away from the Marks & Spencer building is Shanghai's so-called "ultimate" shopping destination for luxury brands, comprised of the Shanghai Center, Plaza 66, Citic Square, and most recently, Golden Eagle department store.
The newly renovated Golden Eagle shopping mall on Shaanxi Road N. houses the flagship stores of both Gucci and Bottega Veneta, as well as brands such as Y-3, See by Chloe, McQ and D-Mop.
"We want to attract fashionable office ladies from nearby office buildings, as well as people who travel to Shanghai from neighboring cities to shop for luxury goods," says Wang Si from the marketing department of the shopping complex.
Before it was closed for renovation a year ago, Golden Eagle was known as an "outlet" where people could find discounts, off-season products of various brands (excluding luxury brands) - which was a sharp contrast to its neighbors, Citic Square and Plaza 66.
Deng Lin, a wealthy lady from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, who often takes weekend trips to Shanghai for shopping, welcomes the changes.
"It saves me a lot of time," she says. "I don't have to go to other parts of the city to look for some brands that I can now find in the new Golden Eagle."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
