Chongqing — A nearly 10-meter-tall Snow King statue has become a landmark outside a Mixue Bingcheng store in Chongqing's Danzishi Old Street, drawing visitors who come for more than a cup of milk tea.

On Aug. 7, a young couple from Chengdu brought their twin sons to take photos in front of the statue. Inside, the 1,200-square-meter flagship store was crowded with customers ordering drinks, browsing merchandise and spending time with their families.

The outlet receives an average of 12,000 customer visits a day, with nearly 50,000 on its busiest day. As Mixue Bingcheng's first city flagship store in Southwest China, it has also become a source of foot traffic for the surrounding commercial area.

"We knew it would be popular, but we didn't expect such a strong response," said Zhang Lin, head of the Chongqing city flagship store.

The Snow King mascot performs at Mixue Bingcheng's Chongqing flagship store on Aug. 7. (Photo/He Qingyu)

The company began selecting the location in May 2025 and opened the outlet during that year's National Day holiday. During the 2025 National Day and 2026 Spring Festival holidays, queues sometimes stretched 200 to 300 meters, with some customers waiting up to three hours.

The store attracts tourists, local residents and families with children. While a typical customer stays about 30 minutes, some families spend several hours there.

The appeal extends beyond drinks. The outlet incorporates Chongqing dialect expressions, features a themed photo wall and sells Snow King merchandise inspired by local landmarks, including the Yangtze River Cableway and the city's skyline.

The 14.9-yuan "Snow King Comes to Chongqing" refrigerator magnet is the store's best-selling cultural product. Other designs depict Snow King eating hot pot, riding a yellow car and exploring scenes associated with the mountain city.

Merchandise and snacks account for about 70 percent of the store's revenue, according to Zhang.

The flagship has retained Mixue Bingcheng's affordable positioning, offering products such as its 2-yuan ice cream and 4-yuan fresh lemon water. Three drinks exclusive to the store sell more than 500 cups a day combined.

Two Snow King performances are held daily, at noon and in the late afternoon. Employees dressed as Snow King characters dance and interact with customers.

Zhang said a visitor traveled from Australia during this year's Spring Festival specifically to see the character.

According to Mixue Bingcheng's official branding, Snow King is positioned as a "friend-like" character with a personality, emotions and social presence. The brand's social media accounts use the character to share everyday content and playful interactions, while leaving room for consumers to create their own material.

Huang Changqi, an expert with the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development, said Snow King's strength lies in the emotional connection it creates with consumers.

"The consumption experience is shifting from simply buying a freshly made drink to developing an attachment to a character," Huang said.

The approach reflects the broader logic of China's "first-store economy," in which distinctive experiences and accessible products can generate traffic beyond an individual business.

The flagship is located in Changjiahui Shopping Park, an area with strong cultural and tourism appeal. Since 2025, the "New Charm Chongqing" drone light show has been staged regularly over the city's two rivers and four banks, bringing additional visitors to the area.

According to Nan'an District's commerce commission, during the 2025 National Day holiday, visitor numbers in the area increased 119 percent year on year, while restaurant sales at Changjiahui, Danzishi Old Street and surrounding areas rose 300 percent from normal levels.

The Mixue Bingcheng flagship ranked No. 1 on Dianping's popular listings and recorded more than 3.5 million yuan in sales during the eight-day holiday.

Across 2025, the Changjiahui Shopping Park commercial district recorded 17.19 percent growth in overall business performance, while visitor numbers increased 63.97 percent.

Nearby businesses have also benefited. One noodle shop owner said daily sales had risen from about 100 bowls to more than 300. Zhang said revenue at other beverage brands in the district had increased by about 30 percent.

The flagship offers a different model of first-store development. Rather than relying on premium prices, it combines affordability, local culture, merchandise and entertainment to broaden its appeal.

In Chongqing, a simple cup of milk tea has become part of a larger urban experience, bringing customers into the store, keeping them there longer and sending additional foot traffic into the surrounding district.