Clearance Sales Begin at Tianyi Market, Set to Close Sep 16
Bargain hunters should take note that retailers at Tianyi Market have begun holding clearance sales as the 25-year-old Fuchengmen landmark prepares to close its doors forever on September 16.
Yet another casualty of Beijing's ongoing rejuvenation campaign, Tianyi Market joins the likes other unfortunate recipients of bureaucratic decision-making including Wantong Market, Alien Street, and Beijing Zoo Market.
Some 1,500 shops have been forced out due to the closure.
Official word of Tianyi Market's closure came this past June, but with so many markets closing over the past few years, we'd be surprised if holdouts like Liang Ma Flower Market and Muxiyuan Fabric Market will be able to make it to the upcoming Olympics.
Long associated with toys and electronics, the end of Tianyi Market marks the end of an era. With cars of their own, Beijing's upwardly-mobile middle-class families are now more inclined to visit the city's outlet malls located in its remote suburbs. Additionally, some retailers have expressed an interest in abandoning mall locations and taking their wares online.
We don't mean to generalize when it comes to clearance sales, but the takeaway from the closure for many shoppers has been to "buy in large." Photos taken on Sunday show Tianyi Market packed with bargain-seekers, some seen walking with plastic bags full of deals.
City authorities have long expressed their intention to reduce Beijing's population by 15 percent by 2020. Signifying a total of some two million people, authorities have targeted Beijing's wholesale markets, popular with out-of-town residents as a way to do business in the capital.
Images: NetEase (163.com)
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