Beijing Gets Its First Look at New Marks & Spencer Store

Beijing is getting its first look at the first Marks & Spencer store in the city on Thursday, a day before the single-floor, 1,500-square-meter location opens to the public on Friday at 11.30am.

Christmas goodies visible through the store's display windows include Scottish shortbread in decorative red telephone box tins, mini iced penguin biscuits, musical rotating Christmas trees filled with shortbread, and chocolate truffle ornaments. They are part of a collection of over 1,200 imported M&S food items that will be on sale at the Beijing flagship.

A bakery and cafe are also on site, promising freshly-made baked goods such as seasme seed bagels, cranberry-pecan batons, and Bakewell tarts.

Other food items will include "butter rich mince pies, classic Christmas puddings, and show-stopping Christmas cakes," along with "restaurant quality frozen meals such as traditional fish dishes, delicious desserts and ice creams, and Italian pizzas and pastas; Iconic British favorites -- from a range of plain and fruit scones, English breakfast teas, jams and conserves, traditional crumpets, as well as a wide selection of biscuits and shortbreads," the company said. The food area of the store occupies only 150 square meters, despite its immediate popularity and position as a draw for new customers not familiar with the British brand.

In addition to comestibles, the store features clothing lines for men, women, and children, including popular Marks & Spencer branded items including thermal leggings, men's suits, and cashmere and knitwear items.

On Thursday morning, curious onlookers could already been seen testing the doors, despite a sign in Chinese indicating that the store would open Friday. Two dozen staff inside scurried around to make last-minute adjustments to racks of wine, comestibles and clothing.

Chinese supermodel Ming Xi (last spotted at the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show) and British model David Gandy, who designed some of the store's sleepwear and underwear, will attend the store's official ribbon cutting on Friday, December 18, at 11.30am.

Landing the Marks & Spencer location is a big win for The Place, which despite featuring one of the world's largest LED displays, and being home to Beijing's first location of Zara since 2007, has struggled to catch fire as a prime shopping location in the central business district.

"The new store is a symbol of the growing friendship and business links between the UK and China," said Michael Charlton, acting director general of UK Trade & Investment. "I'm really thrilled I'll have a Marks and Spencer's food hall on my doorstep. As I live at The Place, it really is on my doorstep," he added.

"Up until now, every time I went to Shanghai I made sure I made time in my schedule to visit Marks & Spencer. Now no longer, we will have our own Beijing Marks & Spencer and it's almost sad how excited I am about this!" said British expatriate Ceinwen Michael, marketing officer of Imperial Tours, a three-year resident of Beijing. "I'll finally be able to get decent chutneys, jams (being British I mean marmalade and lemon curd specifically!), hot cross buns, decent breads and various other yummy things."

"I am very excited about the opening, I think it will be very competitive in the local market if it is not really pricey. I am looking forward to the food they have, the fresh bakery and the prepared meals, even for locals it will be easy to accept," said Luo Jia, a Chinese teacher and Beijinger.

Marks & Spencer also have seven locations in Shanghai, as well as single stores in Qingdao, Wuhan and Suzhou. Online they have a flagship store on Tmall, a food and wine store on Tmall, and a flagship store on JD.com (though none offer English interfaces).

Photos: Michael Wester and Margaux Schreurs/the Beijinger