Long Rumored, Marks & Spencer to Finally Open in Beijing's The Place By End of 2015

Beijing will be finally getting its first location of iconic British retailer Marks & Spencer by year's end, with a 1,500sqm store to open in The Place, according to AsiaOne.

A fixture in Shanghai since 2008 and in Hong Kong for far longer, the nearly 100-year-old British retailer is a known quantity among many UK-centric shoppers and sells high quality women's wear, lingerie, and menswear, but also British comestibles such as shortbread cookies, Christmas puddings, lemon curd, curry crisps, jarred chutney, and other sauces. Beijinger staff members visiting Shanghai are under orders to bring back their buttery shortbread cookies for office enjoyment.

They're also appreciated by many an expat in Shanghai for stocking a wider range of clothing sizes than typical Chinese department stores.

The Beijing opening has been rumored since at least 2009, but this time with an opening date less than two months away, we're confident we'll be shopping there by Christmas.

The store at The Place will also contain an in-store bakery and a coffee bar.

No specific date for the opening was given. If you can’t wait for the store to open, Marks & Spencer are already collaborating with TMall for online orders (Chinese interface only).

Image: Marks & Spencer