Sayonara: Ito Yokado Supermaket Sanlitun to Close Dec 18; Things You Should Grab
Before we could even heal from news of Marks & Spencer closing, there’s now even more sad news, this time from beloved supermarket Ito Yokado. After 18 glorious years, Ito Yokado in Shilipu went out of business on November 1, which used to share more than one third of the company's regional Beijing sales in its heyday. After closing their Wukesong (2011), Wangjing, Beiyuan, and Xizhimen (all in 2014), Daxing (2015), and Youanmen and Shilipu this year, there are only two department stores remaining in Fengtai and Yayuncun, as well as a supermarket in Sanlitun.
Now even the latter is set to close, with a placard placed outside the Shimao Department Store-located branch, announcing that it will shutter for good on December 19, making it the seventh Beijing Ito Yokado shop to go under. The loss could spell a drastic loss of convenience for people who work or live nearby as there's no cheap and quick lunch options in the area, nor a place for trusted fresh vegetables, meat, or bread at reasonable prices, or grab-and-go sake and beer options (Ito Yokado shares the same provider as 7-Eleven). For the grannies that often congregate in the dining area, it also means there’s no way to buy a cheap and easy lunch or dinner, or enjoy the free water after a evening of dancing. So sad.
During a visit to 2,000-square-meter supermarket, which was opened in 2013, we found half of the shelves were already empty, and the staff were busy packing goods away into cardboard boxes. However, there are some discounts on a number of items that might make one last visit worth the effort even if you live out of the way. Note that the store's last operating day will be December 18 (10am-7pm).
Sake and Alcoholic Drinks
Some of their sakes and plum wines are selling for 20 percent or even 50 percent off. You can also get 20 percent off on all the canned Rio, if that's your kind of thing. They also have famous Dassai sake, but unfortunately there's no discount (yet?).
Juices
Some selected made-in-Japan juices are on sale, with 20 percent off.
Cheese
Only Frico cheese is on sale, but you can bag their edam and gouda for 20 percent off.
Wraps and Chips
If you like to make tortillas at home, grab several bags of Mission wraps, now RMB 10 (down from RMB 15.8). Chips of the same brand are on sale too.
Slippers
All slippers are 50 percent off; look at how excited the regulars are!
Hongbao
Well, if you have some friends who are about to get married, or meet some relatives or friends’ kid, grab a RMB 2 hongbao to save yourself from unnecessary embarrassment by not turning up empty-handed.
When we were leaving the store at 8pm earlier this week, there was still a long queue in front of the jianbing stool inside the supermarket, and the idea of saying goodbye to them really makes us (and the grannies) sad. Time to find a reliable online shop to order all our cheap goods in the future. The brightly-lit supermarket Ito Yokado, we will miss you.
More stories by this author here.
Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos: Tracy Wang
