Bright Lights, Big City

Now I don't want to give anyone the impression that the retail/merchant economic environment in Beijing only operates at sidewalk‎ level; far from it! Beijing is the Capital City of the People's Republic of China; home to some 22 million inhabitants; and is without question both the cultural/political engine and catalyst of Asia.

While my examination of neighboring business establishments‎ could be characterized as a micro-perspective of businesses here, it's now time to put a macro focus on what drives the City and Country's consumer economy:

The Chinese are spending money; in a big way; and while they are *Chinese* -- "Orientals" if you will; my biggest takeaway after several years of coming to the PRC: they want to be "Occidentals"; *Westerners"; and perish the thought -- Americans!

(But don't we all?)

Now don't get your flamethrowers out yet; my own casual and unscientific analysis points directly to that conclusion...

Don't forget, this is a country that for some 30 years was all but closed to Western visitors; which maintained strict uniformity in daily attire; which even discouraged the use of western terms such as "Blue Jeans" in their media; lest the Nation's language become corrupted...

Since opening-up, China has steadily adopted western culture; claiming it as if it were their own.

With that, I will look at 3 distinct and representative major retail centers in Beijing; the first, the Mother of all things retail -- East *and* West -- Wanfujing.

Situated a short distance from Tiananmen Square, Beijing's governmental hub; Wanfujing is a broad boulevard of retail Malls and smaller shops; all beneficiaries of an almost auto‎mobile-free environment; where shoppers can meander across its expanse; stop for photo-opportunities; or just rest their feet.

Wanfujing is a unique blend of merchants; melding the older traditional type of Chinese products with both the trendy Western retailers and ‎iconic brands.

I am typically a third-wheel at this stage of the game, grudgingly dragged-along on some shopping quest not of my own ‎initiative; I've been here; I've done here; and besides, it feels just like everywhere else...