Xujiahui launches shopping frenzy to win back the crowd
A night view of the Xujiahui commercial hub.
The commercial hub of Xujiahui has started a shopping promotion campaign with nightlife events and new stores to help it regain its former glory.
As part of the city's annual Double Five shopping frenzy, Xujiahui will spend over 100 million yuan (US$14.8 million), mostly on coupons and discounts, to boost consumption, which has been hurt by the coronavirus.
The Xuhui District government said that during the shopping season, which will last until October, there will be a lot of new products and brands from around the world to be sold for the first time at the commercial hub. The plan is to make Xujiahui a pilot area for an international shopping center.
At the Hengfu (Hengshan and Fuxing roads) Historical Conservation Zone, there will be a night festival. Residents and visitors will be able to tour the historic villas and visit the many small street shops.
Stationary brands like Campus STYLE, Playmobil for toys, as well as the cosmetics and fashion brands Aesop and Ralph's Coffee will open their first Chinese mainland stores or pop-up stores during the event.
Themed events on coffee, metaverse, and automobiles will be launched with the help of industrial groups.
Playmobil has opened a store in Xujiahui.
The district government hopes to transform Xujiahui into a safe and dependable shopping destination. Customers will be able to use a single QR code at the hub for anti-COVID-19 checks and make payments.
Xujiahui drew a slew of customers during previous shopping festivals, but its popularity has dwindled this year due to the COVID-19 resurgence since March.
On the first day of the five-day Labor Holiday last year, total sales of the seven major department stores and shopping malls in Xujiahui, named after Ming Dynasty scientist-scholar Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), reached 37.58 million yuan (US$5.8 million).
That was a 14.55 percent increase year on year and a more than 40 percent increase over 2019, the district said.
After eight years of declining sales, the renovation of the Xujiahui commercial zone began in 2017. The commercial zone, one of eight in Shanghai, was established in 1992.
The Xujiahui Skywalk, one of the most eye-catching projects, connects the renovated Xiya Hotel, now the T20 building, the once popular digital markets Metro City and Pacific Digital City, as well as the Orient Shopping Center, Grand Gateway 66, and Pacific Department Store.
The renovated Xujiahui Cathedral.
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