Yashow Reopens: Shinier Package, But Some Old Elements Remain

After nine months of gestation, Sanlitun's Yashow Market has finally reopened this morning and if you're looking for a bargain, it's going to be harder to find one.

Long beloved as a place to buy knock-off goods and bargain for hours, Yashow has mostly ditched the small stalls and replaced them with fancier stalls in an attempt to reposition itself as an equally swanky next door neighbor to Taikoo Li.

A visit this morning to its grand opening revealed a place somewhat recognizable, and with some indications that its old image may still return in force.

Gone are most of the cramped hole-in-the-wall stalls, and in their place stand a smattering of airy boutique shops with room to browse and prices that would shock a former Yashow shopper  and plenty of unrented retail space. About a third of the spaces in the once bustling market remain unoccupied.

A flagship Major League Baseball (MLB) apparel store has opened on the first floor, along with outlets from Dickies and Jeep Apparel.

Some of its older flavor remains with Sally Tailor back on the third floor with some of other tailors, and some of the watch merchants appear to have returned. A DVD store still lurks in the back. The cheapo food court on the fifth floor is gone, replaced by a swankier-looking Sichuan place (and a lot of empty space).

Most of the other retailers remain one-off boutiques rather than branded chains  some reek of knock-off, like one shop billing itself as "LOVISKORS". One merchant selling branded apparel insisted that they were the real McCoy, but their signage and merchandise were lacking some of the details you'd see at a genuine brand outlet.

And a quick attempt at bargaining at two stalls revealed that at least in some, the prices still have plenty of room to move, and that merchants will still yell after you offering lower prices as you walk away. Some things never change.

Many a foreigner learned Chinese-style bargaining techniques via the ruthless free-market exchange that was always part of a trip to the old Yashow. Likewise, Chinese vendors quickly learned many a foreign tongue in their daily haggling with customers from all around the world.

Whether you liked it or hated it, the old Yashow had a character and a personality so that you always knew what to expect: it's probably fake, you'll probably need to bargain hard, and you'll walk out with something you need. It seems like your wallet will taker a harder hit this time around, rendering the whole purpose of a place like Yashow a little obsolete.

Image: Kyle Mullin

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Well, its been three months and I went over to check out Yashow yesterday after quite some time.

The soul has definitely been ripped from the place.

No buses and plenty of parking out front, and almost nobody inside at 5:30pm on a weekday, despite the fact that other malls in the area like next-door Taikoo Li were swarming with people.

Yuckola. Poor BK, my guess is that they would have made a killing if they were in the place the way it used to be.

 

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A Burger King has now appeared on the first floor and will open soon, reports Beijing Boyce

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I popped in as well over the weekend.

The phrase "lipstick on a pig" comes to mind.

 

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Having visited over the weekend I can say that the new Yashow is like a cavernous hotel lobby constructed of sad, kak-coloured granite, reflecting well on the merchandise within. It's as if a shitty wizard turned up and transformed every patron that used to be in there into a hat with gold plastic glued to it, a shoddy suitcase, or a shoe made of imitation spacesuit material, all the while hiking the prices to turn off anyone ever wanting to enter again. In other words: Welcome back, you shiny piece of crap!

Managing Editor, the Beijinger

I really used to like shopping at the Yashow Market I enjoyed haggling with the vendors there and getting a good deal after showing a bit of persistence. After reading your review it sounds like Yashow has been converted into just another over-priced shopping mall. It is a real pity to see such great place for shopping in Beijing ruined by a handful of money hungry property developers. I have not been to the new place yet and quite frankly, I do not have any interest in going after reading this review. So, to the new Yashow Market, I say, "Hope you have to close the doors and go out of business after the curiosity dies down."