Feels Like Home Again: Shopping for "Foreign" Goods in Shenzhen

By Susan Buchanan

[Note: Veteran PRD writer -- and shopper -- Susan Buchanan will be taking you shopping on a regular basis, because in Shenzhen, when you're shopping, you’re "Doing Your Civic Duty."]

I love a good Dongmen deal as much as the next girl, but there's something to be said for the familiarity of shopping for something you could buy at home. The following reviews are for stores that stock random items from Western brands. Some are unused samples, some are mislabeled, some are from limited runs that the designer or brand decided not to mass produce, and some may have fallen off a truck or two. If you're fed up with bargaining for synthetic stretch shirts covered in rhinestones, check these places out. They're not cheap, but you never know when you’re going to uncover something truly exciting.

This is by no means a complete list, and each of these stores has a few others neighboring that are worth a look, not to mention the Hotwinds and Westlinks that are popping up on every corner. If you get a lead, let me know!

Select Shop [see below for address and directions]

My favorite part of Select Shop is browsing without someone following me, kindly letting me know that I'm too fat for anything in the store. Their selection's not bad; men can stock up on cargo pants and khakis from Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, and both sexes will find a wealth of Polo and Ralph Lauren button-ups. The decor makes me feel like I'm in the walk-in closet of my dream apartment, with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, an antique wardrobe and Chinese vases placed between racks of clothes. Prices hover around 200 for long-sleeve shirts and long pants. I almost came away with a light blue tunic top, but decided at the last minute it was a little too Briton-in-India for me.

Beans [see below for address and directions]

I like the name of this store so much that I'm willing to overlook the fact that their bag selection is mainly Kipling. But this branch in particular has some nice designer items that I rarely see at other stores, like dresses by Eley Kishimoto and 3.1 Phillip Lim. Keep in mind that the selection of any one designer in these stores will be extremely limited, but the Beans collection as a whole is a welcome change from the same old stock at Hotwind and Westlink. If they don't have your size, a sales girl from another store will bike it over in about 15 minutes. I tried to hold out but ended up getting an odd navy dress that looks a bit like a sleeveless, belted kimono.

Mr. Color [see below for address and directions]

This is the store for stylish men and the women that love them. It's exclusively men's clothing, but the slim silhouettes and range of fabrics got me brainstorming ways to wear them myself. Their wall of ties is fairly impressive, and they even have skinny ties. Male shoppers will like the fact that shirts and ties have been pre-matched (albeit a bit recklessly), and prices are low enough that a little wardrobe refreshment will hurt less than you think. Long sleeve shirts by Mike Dier and Paul Smith are 99, ties are 90, and G-star jeans range from 150-300. It's enough to make you forgive the fact that they plastered their own name all over a photo of the D&G ad with the half-naked Italian men's soccer team.

Find the shops mentioned above:

• Select Shop in Luohu South
  • On the southwest corner of the T-intersection of Shucheng Lu and Wanxiang Jie, near Trustmart. This is south of Shennan and west of the MixC.
  • See the Dajuyuan Metro Station map.

• Beans, 22-1 Zhenxing Lu, Futian East
  • Beans has numerous locations in Shenzhen. Susan recommends this outlet in the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area. Zhenxing Lu is an east/west street one block south of Hongli Lu. Beans is on the north side of Zhenxing, between Yannan Lu and Huafa Lu.
  • See the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area Map.

• Mr. Color, 56-1 Huafa Bei Lu, Futian East
  • In the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area; Huafa Bei Lu is a north/south street one block east of Huaqiang Bei Lu. Mr. Color is on the east side of Huafa between Zhenxing Lu and Hongling Lu.
  • See the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area Map.

Other stores of note:

• 2046, Wanxiang Jie, Luohu South
  • On the west side of the street, just south of the Select Shop described above.
  • See the Dajuyuan Metro Station Map.

• 2046, Huafa Bei Lu, Futian East
  • Between Zhenxing Lu and Hongli Lu, near the Mr. Color described above
  • See the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area Map.

• Re-Max, Zhenxing Lu, Futian East
  • On the north side, between Yannan Lu and Huafa Bei Lu; near the Beans described above
  • See the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area Map.

• Outlet and Flower Secret, Futian East
  • The southwest corner of Yannan Lu and Zhenxing Lu, next to 7-11
  • See the Huaqiang Bei Shopping Area Map.

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About Susan Buchanan