On the morning of December 23, the much-anticipated third store of Pang Donglai (hereafter as PDL), affectionately known as "San Pang" by locals, kicked off its trial operation in Xinxiang.
The store is slated for its official opening by the end of this month. In fact, even before its official launch, "San Pang" had already become an internet sensation in Xinxiang. Unlike the typical store opening, this time it isn't the "stores waiting for customers", but rather "customers waiting for the store"—neighboring merchants have been rolling up their sleeves and gearing up for the opportunities it will bring.
"Customers Waiting for the Store": A Quiet Anticipation
A netizen named A Yu, who returned to Xinxiang after studying in Canada, rented an entire floor above the PDL store to open a hotel. "I'm placing my bet on this—wherever PDL goes, a huge flow of customers follows,"he said.
He is not alone in having such ideas in Xinxiang. Mr Wang, who has been in the catering business for 8 years, decided as early as June this year to open his new restaurant directly opposite "San Pang".
Some merchants have even started strengthening their internal capabilities a year in advance. Miss Li, who runs a convenience store on Fenghua Street, made three special trips to other cities to study and learn from successful businesses. Upon her return, she resolved, "We need to upgrade our product display, service quality, and hygiene standards. We can't just ride on PDL's coattails—we have to make customers feel that their visit to our store is truly worthwhile!"
This phenomenon of "customers waiting for a store to open" is unprecedented in Xinxiang's commercial history.
"City Boosting Business": The Evolution of Baolong (hereafter as BL) Business District
In fact, in anticipation of "San Pang's" debut, BLPlaza, located less than two kilometers away in a straight line, has spruced itself up well ahead of time.
On December 20, residents could spot a 6-meter-tall "GG Bond" figure standing at the entrance of BLPlaza even from across the street, as the mall gears up for the upcoming peak consumption season with this eye-catching installation.
Zhang Xiao, the operation manager of BLPlaza, stated, "We are not here to compete head-to-head; we aim to expand the pie for everyone." To grow the market, the mall first had to replace its "underperforming tenants". This year, BLcleared out all the shops with sluggish business at once and replaced them with a row of "Xinxiang's first stores". "Everyone is talking about the first-store economy, so we're focusing on offering customers that unique, 'first-time' shopping experience," Zhang Xiao explained.
Even before PDL opened its doors, BLPlaza had already reaped the benefits of the positive momentum. In the first three quarters of this year, the mall saw a 15% year-on-year increase in foot traffic, along with a significant rise in sales revenue.
The Advancement of Commercial Civilization
The shift from "customers waiting for the store" to "thriving businesses boosting urban prosperity" reflects not only a transformation in the commercial landscape but also a leap forward in the city's commercial civilization.
Its more profound impact lies in the restructuring of Xinxiang's commercial ecosystem. It is reported that a vibrant "commercial ecosystem" has formed around "SanPang", including supply chain providers, delivery companies, storefront design firms, and more.
The opening of a single supermarket driving the development of an entire industrial chain was unimaginable in the past. This is not just the launch of a commercial project; it is a "quiet revolution" in the city's commercial civilization.
From "customers waiting for the store" to "thriving businesses boosting urban prosperity", Xinxiang is demonstrating, through this upcoming store opening, what true commercial progress means-not cut throat competition, but constant self-improvement and collective efforts to expand the market; not mere imitation and replication, but innovation through learning; not short-term gains, but long-term mutual growth, multi-party collaboration, and win-win outcomes.
Perhaps this is the most valuable insight that "San Pang" brings to Xinxiang's local business community. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Zhao Zhenjie and Ren Na Translator: Wu Min)
