1, right place, right time, right person
November 2008, willow lane overhaul is expected to be completed in the street to trace its hundred years of history, what kind of right place, right time, right person, so that different generations of merchants gathered here?
Taiyuan toponymic research expert Wang Jizu said, talking about timing, first of all, we have to mention an old railroad. 1897, Shanxi Governor Hu galloped in adherence to the predecessor of Zhang Zhidong "use of the Jin iron" concept, submitted to the imperial court, suggested that in Hebei Zhengding and Shanxi Taiyuan between the repair of a railroad, in order to Jin iron out of the country. 1907, the Zhengtai Railway was completed. In 1907, Zhengtai Railway was completed. The construction of the railroad has enlivened the commerce of Shanxi, and in the following 20 to 30 years, the merchants from abroad have entered the city along the railroad, which has made the famous commercial street of Liuxiang.
2, Causeway Bay Pedestrian Street
Then we come to the geography, we can not mention the Guangxu period, a big flood flooded the most lively Fuqian Street (that is, the current FuXi Street) area, merchants and tenants have no choice but to move to a slightly higher level of the ground around the Bell Tower Street area. In fact, the first to come to life was not Willow Lane, but Kaihua City. Kaihua City was formerly known as Kaihua Temple, the end of the Qing Dynasty, the temple faded, in order to maintain their livelihood, the monks had no choice but to give up the forecourt and become a place of business, Kaihua Temple has gradually become "Kaihua City". After the Xinhai Revolution, the temple was built as **** and market, and later expanded again and again, in 1922, **** and market was officially renamed Kaihua market. At that time, the Kaihua City, a total area of 1200 square meters, there are more than 200 small and medium-sized merchants, the three religions and nine streams are included, known as Taiyuan's "Dajiejie".
Kaihua City, the prosperity of the business circle effect, this is the "people and". Kaihua City, the early days of prosperity, Willow Lane is still just an alley, and occasionally there are vendors in this stalls, but also business is sparse. But with the Beijing, Tianjin, Henan and Hebei merchants came one after another, Willow Lane ushered in the opportunity for great change. The 84-year-old Ma Xiuying was born in Taiyuan City and has lived in Dapufu since she was a child, while Liu Xiang and Kaihua City are her most frequent places.
Ma Xiuying said her ancestral home is Baoding, Hebei, her father's generation came to Taiyuan, "Taiyuan mines, factories, good living people." At that time, Willow Lane around a lot of fleeing from Henan and Hebei, and formed their own circles, Hebei gangs do more food; Henan gangs do clothing and footwear; Beijing and Tianjin gangs open medical store ...... Ma Xiuying said, perhaps due to the atmosphere, the old Taiyuan people only do big business, do not do small business. A bit of family property, the compound rented to outsiders, the rent is enough to pass the day, live a leisurely life. Those who had no money, mostly went out to work, doing short-term jobs, such as pulling carts, carrying water, and making coal cakes, but they also had a good life. Ma Xiuying's father was a fellow of the old pastry store Taoxiangcun, Ma Xiuying recalled, when the rich people buy pastries have to come to Liu Xiangxiang, because there are two most famous pastry stores, Taoxiangcun and Laoxiangcun, which sells authentic Beijing-style and Soviet-style pastries.
In fact, not only pastry stores, but also the best silk shops at that time - Dalongxiang and Qingji; the best shoe shops - Fuli Sheng, Qinghuayuan and Cuihuaxin; and the best medicine shops - Lerentang and Shuntianliang. -The best drugstores - Lok Yan Tong and Shun Tian Li; and the best restaurants - Zheng Da and Jin Long, were all gathered here. In the 20s and 30s of the last century, the Willow Lane - a small lane no more than four or five meters wide and no more than two or three miles long - had 40 to 50 stores, and merchants and businessmen gathered there, which was famous for its scale throughout the country. If Kaihua City is the Dajie of Taiyuan, then Liu Xiang is the Wangfujing of Taiyuan.
Mr. Qi Shaojing is a descendant of the shareholders of Qinghuayuan, one of the earliest shoe shops to open in Liu Xiang. Mr. Qi said, Kaifa City, a concentration of hawkers, Willow Lane is a collection of the face of the door. Things were rare and foreign, and prices were much higher than elsewhere. For example, clothing, when most people in Taiyuan still wear soil cloth or satin Chinese-style coats, and Huatai thick is from Shanghai and other places into the tweed, to do Western-style Western-style clothes; for example, dried fruits and miscellaneous fruit, local only sell some walnuts, peanuts and melons, near the billion number of the south of the nuts, dried fish ...... Mr. Qi said that the rich people were mostly in the store to stay in the ledger, buy what are written on the account, and the price is much higher than other places. Mr. Qi said that at that time, the rich people mostly keep books in the store, buy what are recorded in the account, to the end of the year, and then unified settlement, the civilians are cash purchases. However, there are rules in the store, the guys are not allowed to look at the clothes and place orders, and people are divided into three, six, nine, and so on. A residential area for doing business
From the 1920s onwards, Liu Xiang became the center of Taiyuan's busiest commercial district. Until the 1960s, for reasons that are well known, stores on both sides of Willow Lane closed down, and houses were rented or nationalized and allocated to the public for housing, turning Willow Lane from a commercial street into a residential area, although the area around Willow Lane is still the most centralized place for commercial outlets.
Zhang Liping is the same age as **** and the country. She said, the second light shopping malls, women's and children's commercial buildings ...... these places many people may not have heard of, but in the 1960s and 1970s, the people's supply of living goods is scarce in the era, these places bear the old Taiyuan people many warm memories. At that time, there were very few commercial outlets in Taiyuan, and the street kiosks only sold groceries, so even if you bought a needle and thread, you would come to this side of Willow Lane.
The stores on this side of Willow Lane were large and had many varieties of colors. Zhang Liping said that in those days when everything had to be numbered, you had to think carefully about what to buy, for example, one person had only seven feet of cloth stamps a year, just enough to make a dress. In general, there were only three colors of flat cloth in the store: blue, black and white, but in the Erlong Shopping Mall, there were many colors, including white with small flowers, gingham, striped cloth, and corduroy. Housewives saved up a year's worth of fabric tickets, and at the end of the year, they would go to Willow Lane for half a day's picking before they could choose the right fabrics to make their children a few fancy dresses. As for the rare items like satin quilt tops and bicycles, they could only be bought on the Liu Xiang side of the street. 1, the old shop was once a market
After the winter of 1979, walking in the streets of Liu Xiang, people began to feel a little different, when, on both sides of the streets of Liu Xiang and hung up the old signboards, in front of a long line. Mr. Ma 1982 into the "Huatai thick" work, which is the only one in Shanxi won the Chinese old-fashioned brand of clothing enterprises, the early 1980s, Huatai thick door every morning at five or six o'clock in front of the people lined up, because the store a day to put only ten number, and once the National Day no longer receive work. It took three months to get the fabric for a dress. On Sundays, the store is packed with people in front of the counter selling cloth, a cloth, more than an hour to sell out, it is like a robbery.
Clothes to wear Huatai thick, dumplings to eat recognize a force, Lanterns to eat the rat's nest of ...... that time, is the heyday of the many old Willow Lane, every family has just opened the door every day, customers will be a rush of bustle and splendor. Historic old re-emergence of glory, formed after the founding of the new name brand is also in the division, women's commercial building, Willow Lane, a large shoe store, Kaiming Photo Studio ...... Mr. Ma said that the Taiyuan people at that time, regardless of whether to buy things, Sunday to come to Willow Lane to stroll around the narrow Willow Lane crowded with people, it is really shoulder-to-shoulder.
Liu Xiang in the 1980s, the old pick up the beam, but attentive citizens also found that the street stalls of the individual more and more, their goods are cheap, new styles and fashionable. In the late 1980s, many individual households from the four sides of the stalls transferred to the Liu Xiang store, Liu Xiang ushered in a new transformation.
2, young people shopping must go to Liu Xiang
Wear fashion, in Liu Xiang. This street, in the hearts of young people in Taiyuan, has a special status.
3, borrowing the street business can get light
In 1984, Wang Huaying graduated from the Tianjin Light Textile Institute of Fashion Design Department. 1986, Wang Huaying got married, her mother and mother-in-law pulled out all the savings at that time, put together 30,000 yuan, bought a Lida Mall store to her as a gift. At that time, Wang Huaying didn't understand whether it was worth it to spend so much money on a small square on the drawing board. Mother said, you do not understand, this gift, you will benefit for life. 1991, Lida delivery, Wang Huaying's mother opened a clothing store there, 1993, to rent out, the beginning of the annual rent of 8,000 yuan, and then gradually rose to 40,000 yuan. 2002, Wang Huaying laid off from the unit, but she was not at all frustrated, but rather a little bit of relaxation, "What is the fear?
What are the advantages of selling clothes in Liu Xiang? Wang Huaying said, for example, Lida it, the same is to buy and sell clothes, the stores here in the early days of a large number of people engaged in the art of opening a store here, the vision of nature is different, fashion can also convey their own taste, clothing has a temperament, naturally attracted a large number of customers. In fact, Willow Lane on the other shopping malls are the same, each with its own style, so many young people who love the beauty of this street as their own shopping must go.
4, walk around and eat a good happy
Since the 90s of the last century, the brands of clothing stores began to move to Liu Xiang, the early boutiques have a new continent, Zenith, Cheerful, large-scale commercial buildings have Lida, Trade and Industry, to later, Montgomery, Jinlai and other first-tier brands of the time have opened a chain of stores in the Liu Xiang, and then there is a large-scale commercial buildings GuiDu, CCH, the entry of famous brand to make the ordinary people Experience the charm of the brand.
Liu Xiang at the beginning of the new century was the most prosperous place in Taiyuan. During the day, you can stroll around the old, looking for deep history; you can also go to the big commercial buildings such as Guidu to do a white-collar woman, or to Lida to enjoy the fun of Taobao. At night, Willow Lane is another scene, stalls lined up, build an iron frame can open, things are cheap, sales are also good. Behind the vendors is a stall, there are frying and deep frying meal, there is also a bowl of noodles, cold noodles snacks. After work, walking and strolling all the way to eat is a night of fun. Beijing Normal University School of Economics and Management visiting professor Xiao Jianping lectured in Taiyuan at the time, so far about the then Willow Lane is still very emotional, like Willow Lane, such as the concentration of the Yangchun Baixue and the three-dimensional structure of consumption, what consumption level can find their own suitable products in this commercial street, such as the country is also rare.
5, large shopping malls rising
1988, Taiyuan City, Liunan, Qiaodong Street, the former Cotton Lane area of the old city of renovation and development, began to promote the Liuxiang modernization of the process of business.
Bringing up the development and remodeling of Liu Xiang Liu Nan in 1988, it is necessary to mention the Shanxi Province San Jin Construction and Development Limited Liability Company (hereinafter referred to as San Jin Development Company). As the first large-scale developer of Liuxiang, which became a bustling commercial area, SJDC created many famous shopping malls in the provincial capital, including Lida Department Store, Industry and Trade Building, Guido's Department Store, Lianyang Department Store and so on.
Wang Yi-wei, the current general manager of Sanjin Development Company, recalled that in 1985, the Taiyuan municipal government decided to develop Liuxiang Liunan. Sanjin Development Company was specifically responsible for the demolition, development and reconstruction work. 1988, Liunan began large-scale demolition and relocation; after 1990, the Liunan area, in addition to resettlement of residents back to the housing, but also added many street stores, supporting a large shopping mall. "At that time, Taiyuan Lida Mall, headquartered in Tianjin, was the largest state-run department store in the whole North China region. Many people from other provinces knew to shop at Lida Mall when they came to Taiyuan." Wang Yiwei said.
In the years that followed, Sanjin Development Co. developed malls such as Guidu and Huadu (now Colorful Clothing Plaza), and these large mall clusters drove the rapid development of the surrounding economy. As large-scale development proceeded and economic values were enhanced, more and more business opportunities were identified in Liu Xiang, thus attracting more investors into the area.
6, had led several years of prosperity
1996, Liu Xiang Xiang night market came out of nowhere, just three or four years jumped to become the largest night market in North China; 2002, due to the dirty, chaotic, poor, the government decided to outlaw the night market. Willow Lane night market office director of the year, now Yingze District Construction Management Bureau Director Feng Dacheng said: "night market as a favorite pastime of the ordinary people, to this day there is a certain demand, but definitely will not reappear in the Willow Lane, Willow Lane will never go back to the past."
10 years ago, many people in Taiyuan night life is only one way - to go to Liu Xiang night market. 1996 began construction of Liu Xiang night market, there have been too many splendor: once one of Taiyuan's famous night scene; once one of the country's famous night market; once the first choice of many foreign investors. ...... In the words of Feng Dacheng, the Liu Xiang Night Market has truly made Liu Xiang a landmark in Taiyuan, even in Shanxi.
Before 1996, although some of the mobile population of Taiyuan at the time, such as Danyingpan, Xiayuan and other places some unscaled night market prototype, but in the relatively economically backward Shanxi, "night market" is still very strange to many people. In order to better promote the development of Liuxiang business district, Taiyuan City Government decided to establish a night market in the most dense mobile population of Liuxiang.
At first, the Taiyuan municipal government planned to invest 500,000 yuan, coupled with the investment of private enterprises, to promote the stable start of the night market. Chen Minghua, now chairman of Shanxi Mingyang Department Store Co., sniffed out the huge business opportunities in the night market, and proposed to build the night market with all self-financing, without government investment, but to share half of the proceeds.
After getting the government's approval, Liu Xiang Night Market officially started business in 1996. In order to ensure the smooth development of Willow Lane Night Market, the government set up the Willow Lane Night Market Office, specifically responsible for coordinating public security, industry and commerce and other functional departments.
In the beginning of the rise of the night market, there were only two hundred stalls. "Depending on the location, the monthly rent for an ordinary stall was 500 yuan, and 600 yuan or more for a stall with a good location and high foot traffic." A stallholder from back then recalled.
With the soaring popularity of the night market, the number of stalls at the Liu Xiang Night Market became increasingly scarce, and from 1999 to 2000, the number of stalls at the night market increased to more than 800, with huge economic benefits that fascinated investors. Liu Xiang Night Market not only became the largest night market in North China, but also became a new business card of Taiyuan. "At that time, an ordinary stallholder in the night market had an annual income of more than 100,000 or 200,000 yuan." Feng Dacheng said. Back then, many southern investors came to Taiyuan to invest in Liu Xiang.
In 2002, Willow Lane night market is the most prosperous, the most prosperous period, the problem began to appear. Some of the public on the Liu Xiang night market dirty, chaotic, poor is difficult to accept. Every day up to more than 200,000 people flow of Liu Xiang, there are many problems can not be resolved in a timely manner. During the same period, major safety accidents in other cities across the country also drew the attention of government departments.
Taking into account safety, environmental health and other issues, the government resolved to call off the night market. "When the news was released, many vendors and even ordinary citizens couldn't accept that the Willow Lane night market had become part of Taiyuan people's lives." Feng Dacheng said. To this end, the relevant departments have done a lot of large-scale publicity, mobilization work. 2003, Liu Xiang Xiang night market completely disappeared from the vision of Taiyuan citizens.
7, the old empty left a fragrance
In 2003, Liu Xiang Qiaotou Street, the old city renovation project started. After the transformation, Liu Xiang, Kaihua Temple business district as a whole, the modern city business atmosphere is getting stronger and stronger. But at the same time, many of the development of Liu Xiang, started the old, but waved goodbye to the stage.
In 2003, the second large-scale reconstruction of Liuxiang with the Baodi Real Estate Group into Shanxi, began to accelerate the process. In March of the same year, Liu Xiang Qiaotou Street city old city renovation project began, the goal is to "build Taiyuan Wangfujing, shaping the first street in western China," the scale of the vast, is "the largest since the reform and opening up of Taiyuan City, old and dilapidated housing renovation projects," covering an area of 138,000 square meters, relocating 190 households. It covers an area of 138,000 square meters and relocates 1,900 households and 140 units.
In the same year, the Kaihua Temple Street area was transformed into a "brightening project". The original dim street lamps and some backstreets and alleys without street lamps were lit up. Living in the back of the Kaihua Temple Street, the old residents of Wang Chunlin said, street lights, Kaihua Temple Street, the residents of the area is also bright, the nearby merchants business is also more prosperous.
With the gradual transformation process, the largest old city shantytown in Yingze District completely disappeared. 2005, the Causeway Bay International Shopping Center was completed, becoming another landmark near Liu Xiang. The past shantytown became a collection of shopping, dining and entertainment as one of the modern service industry, commercial groups.
But along with it is a lot of the "old" is sadly gone. In Willow Lane lived for many years in the community cadre Niu Guangqin said that in the past to the Willow Lane round, good food and drink fun things all carry home. Today, the old people love to eat the mind can not be found, the children love to eat the cake is not easy to find. Back then, Liu Xiang Liu Bei area gathered the old Taiyuan all walks of life of the old: six flavors of Zhai, Qing and Yuan, a building, Huatai thick, the old fragrant village, double synthesis, etc. In 2005, after the completion of the renovation of Liu Xiang Xiang, many of the old firms have moved away from the survival of the Willow Lane for many years, which has Tianjin Baozi, Shun Tianli, Le Ren Tang, Qing and Yuan, including the last to move out of the double synthesis of more than 170 years of history. The once glorious old brands have exited the big stage of Liu Xiang.
8, a big Willow Lane
In the minds of many people in Taiyuan, Willow Lane is not just the street that stretches between Yingze Avenue and Fudong Street, but the entire Willow Lane business circle. The reason why Liu Xiang is used as a representative of the area stems from people's habits over the years.
Zhang Li, born in the 1970s. For Zhang Li and other children who lived in the old Taiyuan alleys as children, the area around Kaihua Temple Street and Zhonglou Street was their playground. Kids loved the pretty hair cards, clothes with Astro Boy prints, and the tasty and gluttonous Jianyili dumplings and the steaming lamb kebabs on both sides of the street. "In those days, whether it was needles and threads or clothes and covers, adults would go to Jongro Street to buy them. There, people bargained enthusiastically with vendors and enjoyed themselves."
9. Specialty stores have moved in
The pace of time, starting in 1996, has sped up significantly.
That year, Zenith opened its first chain of specialty stores in Zhonglou Street, and since then Cheerful, Apple, Fortress and other specialty stores have opened. Later, the rise of Kaihua Temple Street, followed by the opening of Guidu, Huayu Shopping Center, Royal Garden, Baozi, ONLY, ESPRIT, Givenchy and other brands in the Beijing market have a good performance, along with the latest fashion trends into Taiyuan.
10, upscale fashion is comparable to Xidan
The fact proves that Zhonglou Street - Willow Lane - Kaifa Temple Street, almost all the fashionable girls at that time shopping place change route. 20 years ago, people in Zhonglou Street to buy clothes, the shopping malls The lights are dim, but people are excited; 10 years ago, people were attracted by the rise of Liu Xiang, clean windows of the boutiques have been attracted to come; and then later, the most lively section moved to the Kaihua Temple Street, which concentrates a number of very large-scale commercial buildings, people frequently patronized, feasted on, waiting for discounts. "Compared with Xidan, our Liu Xiang is not bad at all." After joining the work, Zhang Li often traveling between Beijing and Taiyuan. In her mind, the Liu Xiang shopping district is the most upscale and fashionable shopping place in Taiyuan.
Zhang Li believes that the compelling Willow Lane is that its prosperity is not just a street of prosperity, in essence, including Zhonglou Street, Willow Lane and Kaihua Temple Street, including a business circle of *** with prosperity. The extension of this circle even covers a large number of streets such as Haizibian, Jiefang Road, Xinjian Road.