Nanjing West Road
Hight Stakes Shopping at its Best
(From West Nanjing Road Station to Jing'an Temple Subway Station)
Hours: 9:00 AM - 9:30 PM Daily
Admission: Free to look but top prices to buy!
Nearest Public Transit: Nanjing West Rd. Station, Line 2
or Jing'an Subway Station, Line 2
"Nanking and Bubbling Well Roads. Nanking Road, the principal retail business street of Shanghai, extends West from The Build at Sassoon House (Cathay Hotel) and the Palace Hotel to the Race Ground and Public Recreation Ground (a magnificent public park) near the Tibet Road intersection, where Nanking Road magically and without warning becomes Bubbling Well Road, designated by an eminent American author as one of 'the seven most interesting streets in the world.' Lower Nanking Road, from The Bund westward, is largely devoted to hotels, department stores, and specialty shops, practically all of them foreign-owned. Almost anything one cares to purchase in the way of foreign goods may be found in the first three blocks of Nanking Road."
- From Tales of Old Shanghai
Need a Farrari?
Some things have changed while other remain eerily the same. Nanjing West Road continues to be a place to buy 'anything one cares to purchase' to this day. Unlike its touristy and overcrowded sister street to the east, Nanjing West Road is noticeably upper market. The street is full of indoor shopping malls with some of the priciest merchandise in the world. Plazza 66, one of the many malls is full of stores that only the wealthiest of the world could shop in. Here is the place to pick up your new Ferrari or Lamborghini. Designers top market items are on sale so that you can look oh so fashionable once you park your new car. A white T-shirt from the right name can cost up to $1000 US and even Paris Hilton checks the price tag here. Yet, the mall is always busy and full of Shanghainese buying and not just window shopping.
With Shanghai's population increasing, there are far more millionaires here than throughout the entire Midwest of the US and China will soon surpass the Unites States with the largest number of wealthy in the world. This street is where many of them shop. There are however, plenty of stores on the street to meet most budgets and tastes. If you take the Nanjing West Road exit of the #2 subway you will find many small local shops with interesting curios and faux antiques. Walking westward you will find Plaza 66 and the equally upscale Ritz Carlton Hotel. Across from the hotel is the Shanghai exhibition center one of the few remaining historic buildings on this part of the street. The spire roof of the center was at one time the highest building in the city! Now it gets lost next to its neighbors. Continue up the street and look for a few historic townhouses set back from the street itself. Most have been converted to restaurants or offices but a few have been redone in 1920's style. If you still have change from your Ferrari purchase those townhouses start at $20 million US dollars and the sky is the limit for the best re-do's.
The road will lead you to Jingan Temple. The temple and the fashionable mall it neighbors are a great mix of the east meets west culture in Shanghai. As the street attests to, most Shanghainese now pray to a golden god, money and this entire street is their temple. One generation ago people dreamed of owning a radio and bike. Today their aspirations are greater than any in the world. They have tasted what the world has to offer and they want it all - and are willing to pay any price!
