The Fate of Gaobeidian Furniture Street
A few months ago, we shared the news that Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street, a favorite hub among both locals and tourists hunting for vintage furnishing pieces, was slated for demolition at the end of June this year.
Our last trip to the street in mid-June revealed a flurry of activity. Numerous furniture vendors were caught up in the whirlwind of transition, from shifting their collections to storage spaces to making tough decisions about permanent closure. Since that visit, a good two and a half months have elapsed. Naturally, we felt it was time to revisit the street to catch up on the latest developments.
Our latest visit showed that the north side of the street has largely remained untouched so far. On the other hand, the south side is changing. In some places, the demolition has already begun and most of the remaining furniture stores are now vacant, echoing the earlier scenes of their counterparts scrambling to relocate or cease operations. The majority of the furniture vendors have either found new homes or have taken their leave.
In a conversation with a furniture vendor on the north side regarding the fate of unsold or unmovable furniture in light of the redevelopment, she revealed a three approaches shops are taking. Businesses fortunate enough to secure a new location are simply transferring their furniture to these new locations. However, those still in search of a new space face a tougher decision: sell their remaining stock at a heavily discounted rate or pay to temporarily house them in a warehouse until a new location is found.
Our attention was then drawn to 志趣轩 Zhìqù xuān, one of the few remaining operational furniture stores on the south side. Here, we noticed a sparse assortment of furniture items scattered around. The staff informed us about their ongoing struggle to find a new spot, but thankfully, they have managed to sell most of their remaining stock.
With the imminent plans to vacate the premises, the staff member we spoke to highlighted the golden opportunity for potential customers to snag last-minute furniture deals at incredibly discounted prices. As we were discussing this, several customers were busily perusing the remaining bargains. One even humorously quipped, "If you’re not buying them now, what are you waiting for?"
We were able to catch up with some fortunate businesses that have managed to relocate successfully, one of which was Guishe, who we visited during our last trip when they were in the process of moving. Now, they have merely shifted across the street. The owner shared that despite their new location being somewhat smaller, they are actually subject to a slightly steeper rent. They speculated that this could be because the closure of stores on the south side has limited their choices for new locations, especially on such short notice.
Prior to the move, Guishe was a hotspot thanks to its trendy imported furniture. However, the owner noted that their customer flow has slightly decreased since the relocation.
Another notable furniture store, Lily's Antiques, has undergone a complete transformation. We noticed a note pinned on the fence, indicating their relocation to Guangqudonglu. Upon reaching out to them, they informed us that their new space has been downsized to about 3,000 square meters, and they have added some new furniture items to their collection.
They too admitted that the business pace has slowed a bit since the move. They believe that this could be attributed to the fact that the Baiziwan area is not renowned for furniture, and it's challenging in Beijing to find an area akin to Gaobeidian that specializes in such merchandise.
Other stores, such as Across the House, which we previously visited, are now entirely vacant and have vanished from Dianping. In regard to the destiny of this historical furniture street, a vendor from the northern side shared his perspective, stating, "I remain hopeful that most furniture vendors will eventually secure a new location, though I fear some may have to shut for good. The future is uncertain, but we're hoping for the best."
READ: Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street Slated for Demolition
Images: Irene Li