Shopping in Tianjin

Tianjin has both modern shopping malls and distinctive traditional stores for you to choose from. You can find all kinds of goods which you want to buy, from top deluxe things to traditional local products.

What to buy

Tianjin is a prosperous city with various commercial streets and numerous trade locations. There are special products could be purchase in the city such as Yangliuqing painting, Weiji Kites, Niren Zhang Clay Figures, Chinese paper cutting and others. Also you can buy the best tea from many authentic Chinese tea houses in Tianjin, or Ceramic Figurines.

Where to shop

Binjiang Road, Heping Road and Tianjin Ancient Culture Street are the most prosperous commercial streets in the city. You can find many department stores and large shopping malls in those streets. Other shopping street including Guyi Street, Drum Tower Street, Xiaobailou Commercial Zone and Shenyang Road Ancient Market are all good places to go. Here are some shopping places to highly recommend:

►Binjiang Shopping Center
Location: No. 29, Kaifeng Rd., Heping District
What to buy: food bazaar, fashion shoes, garments and hats
How to get there: Take Buses No. 3, 35, 45, 50, 503, 600, 606, 631, 632, 641, 643, 650, 657, 659, or Metro Line No.1 to Yingkao Dao

Binjiang Road Business Street is one of the busiest and most prosperous shopping centers in Tianjin. Most of the top shopping malls or department stores can be found in the street. You'll find many big malls here with smaller Chinese stores as well as international brands like Zara, H&M, Nike, etc. There are a few other stores around Nanjing Road nearby, as well as a market behind the Xikai Church. The major shopping centers will all have food courts in the basement levels.

►Tianjin Department Store
Location: No.172 Heping Road, Heping District
What to buy: food bazaar, fashion shoes, garments and hats
How to get there: Buses No. 3, 35, 45, 50, 503, 600, 606, 631, 632, 641, 643, 650, 657, 659, etc.

Heping Road Business Street, together with Binjiang Road Business Street, is one of the busiest and most prosperous shopping centers in this city. it combines shopping, sightseeing, restaurants and amusement together. So it is not only a shopping mall, but also contains great viewing value. It is a must go place when you travel to this beautiful city.

►Tianjin Friendship Department Store
Location: No.233, Jiefang Road, Heping District
What to buy: food bazaar, fashion shoes, garments and hats
How to get there: Buses No. 3, 35, 45, 50, 503, 600, 606, 631, 632, 641, 643, 650, 657, 659, etc.

Tianjin Friendship Department Store is a nine-storey steel construction on the corner of Changchun Dao and Heping Lu, is popular as the only one in China that uses real people instead of mannequins to models its clothes.

►The Ancient Cultural Street
Location: Gongnan Main Street, Nankai District, Tianjin 300100, China
What to buy: ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, rubbings, ink stones and ink, Yangliuqing painting, Niren Zhang Clay Figures and many other traditional Chinese curios
How to get there: You can take Bus No. 1, 4, 12, 15, 619, 611, 612, 624 or 824 to get to Ancient Cultural Street.

There are s a lot of souvenirs and trinkets, ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, rubbings, ink stones and ink, Yangliuqing painting, Niren Zhang Clay Figures, etc. but you must know (or learn) how to bargain. Traditionally designed stores line either side of the street, dealing in paintings, calligraphy, jade, or other renowned Chinese arts and crafts. There are many monopoly shops here. It is a good place to find souvenirs and enjoy the architectural spectacle. If you are lucky enough, you may buy a high-value object in low price.

Tips
Most restaurants have a picture menu where you can point and order.
You could also learn the hand gestures for numbers that sellers and buyers occasionally use for negotiating. Always carry a pen and paper too.

►Recommended Tianjin tour: 3 Days Tianjin City Tour
(Attractions: Ancient Cultural Street, Tianhou Palace, Nanshi Food Street, the Five Great Avenues, Jing Garden)