US Retail Giant GAP Comes to Beijing

America's largest specialty clothing retailer Gap has finally come to Beijing.

Their move to China has been slow and deliberate. Botched efforts at expanding in Germany – where their stores are now owned by H&M – taught them that what works in the US doesn’t always work elsewhere, too. This time, the San Francisco-based company intends to get it right.

Two stores each in Shanghai and Beijing, along with an online shopping site, have been launched concurrently. The first opened quietly in the more secluded Joy City Chaoyang (not to be mistaken with Xidan's Joy City) a little over a week ago, the second with a splashier launch party in Wangfujing's Beijing APM last Friday.

Both branches capture the proper spirit: The atmosphere feels achingly familiar, yet the design and selection are tailored thoughtfully to the local market. Ads splashed all over the walls feature Asian faces. The inventory consists of standard apparel for men and women (including the new 1969 jeans line), as well as GapBody, GapKids and babyGap.

The usual cotton thermals, down vests, flannel button-downs and khaki pants are out in full force. There are also striped shirts (RMB 99), business pants (from really skinny to boy fit to modern boot; RMB 449), corduroy shorts (RMB 399) and green military coats decked out in fur and zippers (price TBD); plus a new “value” collection of denim jeans (RMB 299) and hoodies (RMB 199) with invitingly low price tags. The manager informed me that many items that'd been made in China are, in fact, cheaper here. I'd expected jacked-up prices; what I hadn't expected were so many tantalizing discounts as well.

Also try: American Apparel, Uniqlo

Gap. Daily 10am-10pm. 1) Unit 1101, 1/F, Joy City Chaoyang, 101 Chaoyang Beilu (at the intersection of Qingnian Lu), Chaoyang District (no tel) www.gap.com
朝阳区朝阳北路101 (青年路口东北角) 朝阳北路大悦城1层1101 2) Unit 136A-140, 138 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District (5817 6688) 东城区王府井大街138号136A-140