A shopping street to rival the best in the world gets even better
Jing’an Landmarks
Jing’an is a potted history of Shanghai. Century-old villas, well-preserved traditional shikumen neighborhoods with high walls and stone gates, and renovated factories all have a story to tell. Glitzy retail malls, charming boutiques and annual music and arts festivals give the district a distinctive ambience and ever-growing opportunities. We will explore some of the landmarks that have come to characterize the district’s culture and history.
Nanjing Road W., known as the 5th Avenue of Shanghai, holds a cluster of high-rises and shikumen lane houses.
Landmark ID:
Nanjing Road W
Known as: 5th Ave of Shanghai
How to get there: Metro lines 2, 7, 12, 13
Regional company headquarters: 22
Brands: 1,800-plus
Year-on-year increase in retail sales: 14 percent
Popular shopping destinations:
- Starbucks’ first roastery in China
- The first and biggest Louis Vuitton Maison on the Chinese mainland
- Loewe’s largest Asia flagship store
- Burberry’s largest Asia-Pacific flag-ship store
Largest flagship stores in China:
- Hugo Boss, Michael Kors, Sephora and Gap
- Bottega Veneta’s largest Chinese mainland store
- Dior’s largest store in East China
High-end retailers in the Jing’an Temple area
Jing’an sits in the heart of the city and Nanjing Road W. is its main artery. The famous shopping street is often called as the “Fifth Avenue of Shanghai.”
The road has a long and cosmopolitan history, dating back to the 1920s when it was home to Western-style mansions, fancy ballrooms, haute couture stores, movie theaters and the café culture.
Now, every sort of retailer is based there. Last year, retailers on the road reported a 14 percent year-on-year increase in sales, making it one of the most sought-after strips in the city. They sell more than 1,800 brands, more almost two-thirds of them renowned international brands.
Last year, the long-established Plaza 66 chalked up sales of nearly 5 billion yuan (US$796 million), making it the richest retailer on the road. Up-market Jiuguang department store ranked second with receipts of nearly 3 billion yuan.
In third place was the Jing’an Kerry Center, with sales of 1.7 billion yuan. Commercial authorities are predicting that a newcomer to the road, HKRI Taikoo Hui, will be a competitive rival, ushering in unique shopping experiences, performing arts and international cuisine.
Last December, Starbucks’ first roastery in China and its second in the world, opened its doors on Nanjing Road W.
In additional to retail outlets, the road is home to many corporate headquarters, including multinationals. They include L’Oreal China, Pfizer China and Philips China.
“If a foreign company wants to do business in Shanghai, it pays for them to look at this area,” said Brett Rose, director of the Shanghai office of Robert Walters China. “As an entry point into China, it is the best bet.”
He added, “One of the things that I find so fantastic about Jing’an, particularly this part of Jing’an, is that you could easily be anywhere in the world. You can get the same sense as if you were in Sydney, London, Singapore, Hong Kong or New York.”
