Xidan is one of the major shopping streets in Beijing. Look like a quite modern place, the area served as a commercial center dating back to the Ming Dynasty, when all goods passed through the spot to the Forbidden City.
In the prosperous area, you can buy up-grade apparel at high price, while you can also choose to haggle with vendors for some no-brand clothes lowly priced.
This walk around Xidan should take you 20-30 minutes, which will give you a rough view. If you plan to shop or window-shop, it will take you at least half a day.
Joy City Shopping Mall
Take Subway Line #1 and Exit from A, then walk northward for 5 minutes, you will notice the newly-built complex, naming Joycity. We begin our walk here.
On the first to forth floor, lies a shopping mall, while the hotel and apartment complex is located on above.
Joycity is newly opened in 2007. In the shopping mall, you could find many world-brand shops, such as Muji and UNIQLO.
Zhongyou Department Store
Opposite the Joycity, Zhongyou Department Store caters to the younger generation. This eight-story building offers the hottest and newest fashionable items for teenagers and college students bent in keeping up with the trend.
The store abounds with domestic and foreign brands popular with them: Chanel, Dior, and Lancome for cosmetics. Swarovski, Chow Tai Fook, and Chow Sang Sang for jewelry. Should you be interested in clothes, brands on offer include Only, Oasis, and Nautica. For shoes, go to the basement level: there you will find a large selection of popular sport shoe brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma.
Catering at this department store also reflects the tastes of its target customers: McDonald¡¯s, KFC, Starbucks, and a Buds ice cream bar on the basement floor.
Grand Pacific Department Store
To reach the Grand Pacific Department Store, simply use the overpass to cross the street. The store is very easy to locate, you can¡¯t miss the huge ¡°Grand Pacific¡± sign on its facade. Unlike Zhongyou, Grand Pacific loves big spenders.
Opened in December 2003, Grand Pacific is still the largest department store in Beijing. Elaborately designed, the shopping areas -- seven floors and a basement floor in all -- feel spacious and comfortable to shop.
On the sidewalk outside the Grand Pacific Store, two bronze statues will catch your eye: one is a cellist, the other a singing rock star.
Enter the department store, and you will understand why it got such a reputation. Everything about the place screams high class, from its facilities to the high-tech equipment. The shop assistants are well trained, and extremely courteous. The items on display are made by famous brands, reserved for high-end consumers.
If you¡¯re hungry for western fast food, the basement floor offers numerous choices: bread loafs from Fresh Bakery, for instance.
Let¡¯s continue our walk, by crossing the street on the overpass, back to Zhongyou, and head north.
Xidan Shopping Centre
You will pass by many small shops along your way. Their small size is a feature of most Chinese shops. They tend to focus on a single brand or type of product. Department stores likes the ones we just visited are relatively rare.
Pretty soon, you will come across the Xidan Shopping Center. Built on eight floors, the shopping center is mostly frequented by idle income earners, both young and old. Its first floor features various local specialties such as preserved fruits, and sugar-coated haws. On its second and third floors clothes are offered at moderate prices. From the fourth to the seventh floor, the focus is on apparel and accessories appealing to youngsters. The eighth floor is reserved to light dining. There, you will find a variety of snacks and fast food coming from all over China.
The last department store to visit in Xidan is also the most famous one. It is located right next to the Xidan Shopping Center, to the north.
Xidan Department Store
With a history of over 70 years, the Xidan Department Store is the oldest, largest, and most reputed store on the Xidan Shopping Street. Over the years, it has developed into a modern, fashionable mall which caters to all levels of purchasing power.
The Xidan Department Store is divided into several sections, each with its distinctive style. For instance, the south building focuses on well-off adults: it carries brand-name cosmetics, watches and clothes. The north building attracts young men. Its sells sportswear, and casual attire.
There are English signs at the store entrance to navigate you around.
The Mall in the Back
If you want to limit the budget, you need to visit the shopping mall behind the places we mentioned above.
To reach it, simply go back to Xidan Shopping Center. Turn to a small street going left. You will notice plenty of small shops. Walking on the street, you will have seen 2 Starbucks, 3 McDonald¡¯s, and 2 KFCs!
On the right sides, stands The Xidan Mingzhu Department Store. This building accommodates over a thousand vendor booths spread on 5 floors. Here you can see various items such as clothes, inexpensive jewelry, and handicrafts. Prices are much cheaper, but the quality is not guaranteed. Be sure to haggle with the salespeople: you can usually get what you want at half the price tag.
There is a dining hall on the 6th floor, serving various snacks from all over Chinese. I personally like the Jia Jia Roughage Food King for its healthy selection and low price.
How to Return
To return to the Joycity Hotel, simply leave the Mingzhu Department Store and walk across the main street, you will see the hotel on your right. |
