The end of the year is intense. You’ve got Halloween, then as soon as that passes, it’s time to get all decked out for Christmas, then New Year’s Eve and then Chinese New Year. And if you’re American, you’ve also got Thanksgiving in there as well!
During this period of intense celebration, you may be asking yourself where you can find seasonal decorations for the holiday. You can search on Taobao to find the right things for the season, but what if you need some last-minute decorations and Taobao just can’t deliver on time? Then it’s time to visit Bairong World Trade Center!
This past Halloween, my father decided that we would not miss out on decorating our house (and his office at work), so it was clear that we would have to get some seasonal decorations of some sort.
It would have been just as fine to scroll online looking for plastic pumpkins, candles and ghost statues, but back in the US, we were used to shopping in stores for these things. So, we thought it would be nice to revisit our old traditions. Bairong World Trade Center is a mall that mostly locals visit when they need something.
It’s composed of two massive buildings, B1 and B2. B1 is more modern, with most of the shops selling clothes, shoes and accessories. The first floor of B1 contains mostly men’s clothing, and the second floor houses the women’s section. If you are in need of children’s things, the basement has kids’ shoes and clothes. B2 is the older building. Here is where you can find the most random, but interesting, objects and trinkets. Just a warning, though: Shopping in Bairong can be overwhelming and intimidating, but as long as you have a plan, you will be all right. For the old timer Beijingers, this place will remind you of the original Yashow Market.
We went in search of Halloween decorations, but now that Halloween is over, the shops previously selling plastic jack-o’-lanterns are now going to be the ones where you find your fake trees, Santas, elves, gingerbread men and whatever other Christmas decorations you’re looking for.
Here are some reasons that Bairong is a nice place to go shopping, and also some tips to avoid any inconveniences.
- Bairong has many shops and stalls. At Bairong, you can find pretty much anything you need. It may take you some time to scan the shops, but eventually we will probably find something appropriate. My father was able to find a legit Star Wars light saber at a random toy store!
- There is a large stationary store named M&G 晨光文具 on the third floor of B2, a great place to buy sorts of markers, pens and notebooks your child might need for school.
- Wanna learn how to shop like a local? Bairong is a place that locals usually shop at to find their heart’s desire (and good deals).
- Besides selling clothes and trinkets, some shops sell beverages and snacks, and you can easily find a snack to enjoy. We purchased some refreshing drinks in B1, and the price was incredibly cheap!
Now, some warnings:
- It is crowded during the weekends, so avoid being mobbed by a bunch of avid shoppers if possible!
- If you park underground, make sure to take a detailed photograph of your parking spot before you enter the shopping mall, to avoid spending an hour underground looking for your car.
- It gets quite hot inside the buildings during the wintertime, so leave your jacket in your car (if you drove) unless you want to lug around heavy winter jackets.
I hope you found this article useful, and that is another adventure (shopping edition) from Clark Yap. Stay tuned, and stay reading!
Find it:
Bairong World Trade Center 百荣世贸商城
101 Yongwai Ave, Dongcheng District
东城区永外大街101号
Images: Clark Yap
