Chinese mall operator Bailian is merging two disused department stores on Shanghai’s Huaihai Road in partnership with urban renewal firm URF to create Theatre X. The two malls on the city’s prime retail street were formerly trendy shopping destinations. Huating Isetan on 527 Huaihai Road M was the first Japanese Isetan outlet in China, while Bailian’s No.1 Department Store next door once enjoyed great popularity – both commercial gems of the 1990s.
The new Theatre X shopping mall will merge the two sites, according to an announcement, and offer “interactive and immersive experiences” to consumers. The 25,000sqm property will offer popular international brands, shared spaces for pop-ups, and exhibition stages for Ted Talks – with developers expecting the venue to become a “pilgrimage site for trendsetters.” It will feature a 40m-high waterfall and giant digital screens.
Theater X is set to open in September, with further developments in the immediate vicinity expected to follow.