"The turnover for the last six months declined more than 30 percent year-on-year, and on our worst day we only took in 20 yuan," vice manager Chen Mingzhu told a local newspaper.

Zhongshan Road M. existed for centuries as a commercial street. It was narrow, crowded and cluttered; many modern stores sold nothing of cultural value and the structures themselves were not historic.

The Hangzhou municipal government began planning renovation and restoration in 2006 and launched the project in 2008. The aim is to rearrange the shops, eliminate those of little historical significance and make the road more organized and appealing.

Old stores, foreign enterprises and creative shops are encouraged to open, creating a good magnet road for living, visiting and doing business.

The Yu Feng Xiang department store, which covers 400 square meters and mostly caters to senior citizens, is planning to upgrade its merchandise to appeal to more young customers and tourists.

The Bian Fu Mao shoes, one of the most venerated footwear brands in Zhejiang Province, has moved five times in 17 years, all because of street renovations.

Chinese cloth shoes are soft, strong and comfortable, but they look pretty much the same, usually black cloth and white tread soles.

Now the Bian Fu Mao designs and sells cloth high-heel shoes and athletic shoes in many colors to appeal to young people.

Zhang Xiaoquan Scissors & Knife Factory in Hangzhou, founded in 1663, achieved a turnover of 180 million yuan in 2008.

Editor: Liu Fang

Source: Shanghai Daily