Wangfujing Department Store (王府井百货, Wángfǔjǐng Bǎihuò) on Chunxi Road is one of the most recognizable names in Chinese retail. Although the original Wangfujing flagship is in Beijing, the Chengdu branch opened in the 1990s and has become a beloved local institution. It occupies a full block on the east side of Chunxi Road, a classical-style building with a stone facade, large arched windows and a clock tower over the entrance that locals still call "the Wangfujing clock."
Inside, the store is organized the old-fashioned Chinese way: cosmetics and watches on the ground floor, women's fashion on the first, menswear on the second, home textiles and bedding on the third, toys and stationery on the fourth, and a food court on the top floor. There is no fast-fashion chaos here; shopping is calm, polite and unhurried, and the staff know regular customers by name. It is the kind of department store your grandmother would recognize from 1960s Shanghai, updated with escalators and air conditioning.
What to buy
Wangfujing is best for products you cannot easily find abroad and that benefit from in-person inspection:
- Chinese cosmetics and skincare: brands like Herborist (佰草集), Pechoin (百雀羚) and Florasis (花西子) have counters; prices are 20–30 percent lower than abroad and staff will test shades on your hand.
- Tea and Sichuan delicacies: the basement food hall sells packed Mengding Ganlu green tea, Shu embroidery handkerchiefs, beef jerky and preserved plums, ideal as gifts.
- Silk and bamboo goods: a modest selection of Qipao jackets, silk scarves and Sichuan bamboo fans.
- Clothing for older relatives: the store has a strong selection of understated, well-made Chinese brands for middle-aged and elderly buyers.
Brand names you may not recognize are usually solid domestic manufacturers; ask the sales assistant for the fabric label (成分 chéngfèn) and machine-washing symbol. Refunds are straightforward if you keep the receipt and the tags on; the store offers a 7-day no-reason return policy for most goods.
Practical Information
- Address: Chunxi Road (春熙路), Jinjiang District; the main entrance faces the pedestrian boulevard, south of IFS.
- Transport: Metro Lines 2 and 3 to Chunxi Road Station, exit E, then a 2-minute walk south.
- Opening Hours: 10:00–22:00 daily, including weekends and public holidays.
- Price level: mid-range; most clothing ¥200–800, cosmetics ¥150–600, gifts ¥50–300.
- Payment: UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay; international cards accepted at the cosmetics and watch counters only.
- Tips: ask for the member discount card (会员 hùiyuán); it is free and gives 5–10 percent off most items.
Foreign visitor tips
English is patchy, but hand gestures and phone translation apps work well. The food court on the top floor is a great value lunch spot: ¥30–50 gets you a plate of Sichuan noodles, rice or dumplings, and the seating is calm. If you buy tea, ask for a vacuum-sealed pack (真空 zhēnkōng) so it survives the flight home. Receipts (小票 xiǎopiào) are required for returns; keep them until you leave China.
The store also runs a small but well-curated section of Sichuan tea and snacks on the basement floor, where vacuum-sealed bags of Mengding Ganlu green tea and spicy beef jerky are sold at honest prices. Look out for the member service desk near the main entrance; staff will explain how the loyalty programme works and can wrap gifts for you free of charge. If you are visiting during a national holiday, Wangfujing often launches limited-edition gift boxes of Sichuan specialties that you will not find anywhere else in the city.
