Corner shop charm of 'Shanghai Shopping'
People visit a community market on Yuyuan Road in Shanghai on February 28, 2019.
Plans are afoot to make life easier for small or temporary shops in the city, with 10 measures including quick application channels for weekend bazaars and night markets.
The Commission of Commerce yesterday discussed ways to help typical local corner shops, weighed down by competition from e-commerce, high rents and the rise of shopping malls. Corner shops face serious challenges and rescuing them has become a matter of urgency.
There are about 475,000 commercial outlets in Shanghai and small shops on the streets account for 90 percent of them, according to Kong Fuan, director of commerce and trade at the commission. Clusters of small shops give character to historical communities, commercial areas, creative parks and tourist destinations.
Of these small traders, 37 percent are eateries and 31 percent retailers. Many of today’s most popular eateries have grown out of small stores that touched the hearts of young people with imaginative designs and good-looking food.
Temporary stores are often stereotyped as outdoor stalls put up by senior residents who offer “grassroots” services like fixing an umbrella or mending clothes. They may look old and shabby, but they are part of the personality of the city.
As an international megacity, Shanghai needs mega-malls, but it also needs small stores with unique charm. Authorities have talked with shopkeepers to get to know their difficulties which include high costs, increased competition and lack of favorable policies.
The commission’s 10 new measures are an important part of the “Shanghai Shopping” brand policy, and include fast approval channels for pop-up markets and other activities.
In other global cities like New York and Paris, it is common for people to sit outdoors when having a coffee and enjoying the street-side vibe. As many such stores are on the first floors of residential buildings, they can obviously coexist harmoniously with local people.
In Shanghai, eateries are currently banned from having tables on the street, because of the large amount of disputes between eateries and residents, due to lack of regulation.
The commission has proposed that authorities do not ban everything new. Instead, they should welcome innovation and strengthen supervision.
Tianzifang, a popular commercial and tourist destination, is a great example of turning residences into bars, eateries and other commercial properties, without the people moving out. They rent their first floors to businesses and live upstairs: a win-win deal.
“Pushing forward the big plan also requires close attention to detail. Authorities should take practical measures and make real moves to help small shops,” said Liu Min, deputy director of the city’s commission of commerce.
