People visit the Beicang Cultural and Creative Block in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on June 3, 2022. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing—In recent years, non-standard commercial models have rapidly emerged across the country, offering a series of unique activities and experiences.

From eating hotpot in air-raid shelters and sipping coffee at 100-meter heights to unlocking fashion trends in old neighborhoods, many places combine their resource endowments to move away from monotonous commercial forms. They are exploring innovative consumption models that make shopping more interesting, creative, and enthusiastic.

Non-standard commercial models refer to innovative business models that contrast with traditional standardized commercial practices. These models break free from the constraints of conventional approaches by recreating value through aspects like spatial environments, architectural structures, and operational logic. They aim to create personalized and differentiated consumer experiences. By offering more diverse consumption scenarios, they fuel the vibrant development of the consumer market, becoming a new engine for driving consumption growth.

Offering what others don't

Driving personalized consumption

In Chongqing, former air-raid shelters have been transformed into hotpot restaurants, bars, and bookstores, while rooftop bars have become popular tourist spots. Compared to uniform consumption experiences, consumers are more willing to pay for experiences that offer emotional value and novelty.

In the city's Yuzhong District, a series of projects have leveraged cultural decoding and institutional innovation to turn the city's cultural heritage into a sustainable consumer asset.

"We spent three years restoring, revitalizing, and repurposing the Luzu Temple with the aim of transforming cultural resources into economic value through commercial and tourism development," said a representative from Yuzhong District.

Following this philosophy, the district has renovated several traditional neighborhoods as part of its urban renewal efforts. For example, Daijia Alley, once a rundown shantytown, has now become a new cultural landmark for the city. As these old streets and landmarks are rejuvenated, they are also bringing increased commercial appeal.

"This renewal goes beyond superficial renovations like façade changes and functional shifts; it imparts deeper values such as cultural expression, lifestyle presentation, and individuality," said Zhang Yupeng, General Manager of the Western China Region of Cushman & Wakefield. 

Zhang added that successful urban renewal projects like Chengdu's Eastern Suburb Memory have consistently introduced distinctive brands that express the city's culture and vibrancy, injecting fresh life into urban commerce through innovation and flexible operations.

How to ride the wave of growth

Non-standard commercial models, which integrate unique local resources and innovative practices, have repeatedly gained attention, creating new points of consumption growth.

"Non-standard commercial models in urban renewal projects are integrated with the cultural heritage of historical buildings and old neighborhoods," said Tang Zhengyi, Head of the commercial department at Cushman & Wakefield in Chongqing. Tang believed that the city's distinctive urban landscape and cultural heritage are the key to its unique character and competitiveness in non-standard commercial models.

"As non-standard commercial moves from its early and explosive stages to a more developed phase, it requires additional innovative support across multiple dimensions to ensure sustainable growth," said Mo Yuanming, Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of the China Consumer Economics Society and researcher at Chongqing Technology and Business University.

Mo emphasized the importance of helping non-standard commercial models go beyond basic geographical attractions. He suggested that these models can build systematic competitiveness through precise policy support, fostering commercial ecosystems, and promoting local culture.

Mo further suggested that cities should tap into the historical and cultural essence of their urban spaces, allowing old streets and alleys to bridge past and present, releasing a powerful "storytelling" experience through complementary commercial scenarios.

Mo also suggested establishing diverse cooperation mechanisms to foster collaboration among non-standard commercial entities, governments, communities, and cultural institutions. This would offer more policy support and market space for growth and ensure that non-standard commercial models are integrated with urban renewal, rural revitalization, and cultural-tourism fusion.

(Workers' Daily and workercn.cn also contributed to this report.)