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Tianhaocheng clothing mall, one of Beijing Zoo wholesale clothing markets, closes on Jan 20, 2015, and it is the first of its kind that leaves the Beijing Zoon area. [Photo by Zou Hong/Asianewsphoto] |
Beijing Zoo wholesale clothing market, one of the city's largest, was once notable for selling clothes at a fast rate as the seasons changed, but now merchants are very prudent in increasing their new stock since they know the market will leave Beijing by the end of the year because of relocation of non-capital functions.
Beijing's Xicheng district announced a clear schedule on Oct 13, and sent letters to some merchants telling them they need to move out by the end of the year. The area's malls, including the Sida Building, the Zhonghe mall, the Tianhe Baima mall, the Wanrong mall, and the Julong mall are on the list.
The Beijing Zoo area will reduce its booths by 60 percent by the end of the year, vacating an area of 200,000 square meters. It will completely finish relocating all its booths, 300,000 square meters in total, by the end of next year, according to a plan of Beijing government.
The Shiji Letian shopping mall and Dongding shopping mall will be removed next year, said the announcement.
Merchants in the Guanyuan wholesale market, the Tianyi market, and the Wantong market in the west part of Beijing will face the same situation by the end of 2016.
Beijing's Xicheng district is a gathering place of over 70 small wholesale commodity markets, with 20,000 booths in total, and the Beijing Zoo area alone houses nine markets with 13,000 booths.
As the relocation started, the Xicheng district tried to help merchants find new markets. It consulted with influential markets in Tianjin and Hebei province to find a way to transfer the fame and goodwill of its local businesses.
A merchant surnamed Zhu, who came to Beijing 22 years ago and now has six booths in the Beijing Zoo market, said she was reluctant to move out of Beijing as she has built her family in the city and her child is attending school there.
“I will consider moving to a new market out of the capital if the place is good and there are good policies, “said another merchant, taking a wait-and-see attitude. She runs two booths in the area with stock worth around 800,000 yuan ($126,000).
“The market has more than 2,100 booths and many have signed 20-year management agreements,” said Zhang Lei, manager of the Business Department of the Jinkai Lide Shopping Mall, one of the wholesale markets in the Beijing Zoo area. “We support the program of the government, and more concrete schemes are needed to solve the problems.”
When the work is finished, the Beijing Zoo wholesale clothing market will transit into a more profitable retail market. It will introduce high-end industries including e-commerce, financial services, and clothing design, according to the Xicheng district government.
Shops in the market are open as usual, but the merchants are just a little bit worried about their future and where they will continue their business.
