Livin’ in The Chonx

San Xia Guang Chang 三峡广场

This massive shopping plaza is located at the heart of Shapingba district. The square has a man-made river running through it and accompanying sculptures meant to represent the Yangtze and all the stops along the way to the Three Gorges. With Chongqing University, Chongqing Normal University, Sichuan International Studies University, and Southwest Politics and Law University all located nearby, this shopping plaza primarily caters to college students. There are hundreds of shops that sell trendy clothes and shoes to the young adults who are still living off mom and dad. Among some of the bigger brand names you can find here are Baleno (Ban Ni Lu-班尼路), Metersbonwe (Bang Wei-邦威), and Yishion (Yi Chun-以纯).

Below are some of the department stores that have branches in Three Gorges Plaza. In general all the department stores have a grocery section in the basement level. People do not bargain at the department stores, so you have to just look out for promotions.
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Jiefangbei 解放碑

This upscale shopping district spreads out from Liberation Tower. According to some signs in the area the shopping plaza is called “Times Square” (时代广场), but few locals refer to it as such. It caters to the fabulously wealthy and those who want to appear fabulously wealthy by shopping at places like Armani and Burberry. Here you can buy genuine brand name imports, as long as you’re willing to pay genuine import prices. There is a brand new underground shopping area here connected to the Light Rail stations, and even here the prices are high (but you can bargain). Most of the clothing chains and department stores that have branches in Three Gorges Plaza also have branches here, but sometimes the product line is slightly different. Below are a couple of the department stores that you can only find in Times Square, their selection is very upscale so the prices are typically higher than at any of the other department stores in Chongqing.

• Metropolitan: Da Du Hui 大都会
• Maison Mode Times: Mei Mei 美美

Bus Tip: 临江门 or 较场口 or 解放碑
Light Rail Tip: 临江门 (Linjiangmen) Exit D.

Bei Cheng Tian Jie 北城天街

This is a popular shopping district with the locals because you can find a large range of goods here, from dirt cheap to dizzyingly expensive. The upscale section, Paradise Walk proper, has a Haagen Dazs and Starbucks attached to it on one side. For the area where you can haggle and find knock off items like Louis Vuitton wallets and Coach purses go to Hong Kong City (Xiang Gang Cheng-香港城), across from Haagen Daaz.

Bus Tip: 渝北站 (not the district) or 名店坊(北城天街)

Bai Sheng 百盛

This Malaysia based department store chain has several branches in Chongqing, but often not in the major shopping districts. The price range is similar to Chongbai and New Century Department stores, but the quality of the merchandise is usually a step up.

Daping Parkson
Bus Tip: 大坪
Light Rail Tip: 大坪 (Daping) Exit B

Di Xia Shang Chang 地下商场

Most of the former bomb shelters that twisted underneath the city have been converted and expanded into huge networks of underground shopping malls.  These are the places to go if you want to flex your bargaining muscles.  The shopkeepers will often easily drop to 50% of the initial price, and most locals can get the item for half that.  Do take the time to carefully inspect items before buying them though, because quite a bit of the merchandise is poorly made and falls apart after a few uses.  The atmosphere and conditions vary from one to the next.  The nicest one and most expensive is located under Jiefangbei.  The largest, but also possibly the dirtiest and least welcoming, is located under Yangjiaping.  For the best quality at the lowest prices, many of the locals recommend the one located under the Chongbai shopping plaza near Guanyinqiao (观音桥) in Jiangbei.

If nothing they sell in China seems to fit you (maybe because everything is extra extra small, or you could just do without the sequins), then finding a good tailor is probably the way to go. There is an abundance of tailors located throughout the city, and for convenience sake it is probably best to just find the ones nearest you. Here is one that has been recommended by other foreigners…

Hong Xiu Shi Zhuang 红秀时装
(Located near Sichuan International Studies University, Shapingba)
• She charges around 50 RMB/shirt or pants, 120/dress. Bargain for less if you bring your own material. Usually she quotes 10 days, but you may be able to rush it a little (within reason). She does not speak any English.
Bus Tip: 烈士幕

Tang Zhuang Cai Feng 唐装裁缝

Typically nearby regular tailor shops you can also find tailors who specialize in making traditional Chinese clothing like Qi Pao (旗袍). According to some of the locals one of the best places to have these made is along the streets of Qi Xing Gang (七星岗) – southwest of Jiefangbei. Expect to pay around 300 RMB for a relatively nice outfit made from silk. Using satin or cotton materials should be cheaper. Extremely intricate patterns with handmade embroidery can sometimes run upwards of 1000 RMB.

Bus Tip: 七星岗