Taichung's one-stop destination for food, drinks
and fun: YiZhong Street Shopping District
Words by Lin Fu-shan Translated by Angela Cheng
The content is developed jointly by Industrial Development & Investment Promotion Committee of Taichung City,
FM 89.1 Sunny Radio and Compass Magazine.
The YiZhong Street Shopping District and night market, located in Taichung's North district, encompasses YiZhong Street, TaiPing and SanMin roads, YuCai and YuCai South streets and YuCai North Road, and today is easily one of the city's top liveliest nighttime destinations for residents and tourists alike.
This neighborhood is packed with cram schools and the shopping district got its start catering to the dining needs of the many students frequenting the area. In earlier years, it was home to only a handful of cafeterias, stationery shops and old bookstores. However, about a decade ago, the completion of the Taichung Irrigation Association Shui Li Building attracted about 10 more big cram schools to the area, bringing a new flood of people and businesses. This has been followed more recently by the YiZhong Red House Shopping Center, YiZhong Ximending shopping/dining complex, YiZhong New City Shopping Center, Rui Feng YiZhong Street and No. 1 YiZhong developments, and many other new shops around the intersection of JingWu Road and YiZhong Street--all parts of today's thriving YiZhong Street Shopping District.
Area businesses usually open at 5 p.m., when high school students head for the cram schools on weekdays. This clientele means that "'cheap and plentiful" has become the guiding principle for vendors here. Most clothing, accessories, bags and shoes are available for low-to-mid-range prices. During weekends, YiZhong Street Shopping District is crowded all day with the usual student shoppers joined by large numbers of tourists.
Another defining feature of this area is the propensity of similar shops to cluster together. For example, many well-known eyeglasses stores are found on YuCai Street, while a string of sports shops line TaiPing Road. This close competition means that prices here tend to be much cheaper than in other places. It's also worth noting that there are many hair salons (and wedding studios) along SanMin Road.
Some interesting businesses to visit in YiZhong Street
Shopping District include: |
March 2014
