Hip As Can Be: Gulou & Nanluogu Xiang Boutiques

Thanks to now-classic shops like Plastered T-shirts, Nanluogu Xiang is firmly established as a shopping destination for cool gifts and Beijing souvenirs. The neighborhood’s commercial sensibilities are endemic along perpendicular Gulou Dongdajie, lined with jostling boutiques and vintage shops. These are some of the best to check out.

Mega Mega Vintage
True to its name, Mega Mega Vintage pays homage to the Cool Britannia style of decades past, with gramophones and Andy Warhol and Sex Pistols prints adorning the walls. Vintage clothes fill every available space: dig around and you’ll find 1960s-style skirts (RMB 120), Moschino heels (RMB 780), and dapper waistcoats (RMB 139). Nestled in the corner is the only changing room in Beijing (that we know of) built to resemble a red British telephone box.
Daily 11am-8pm. 241 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (8404 5637) 东城区鼓楼东大街241号

Love Linen People
Natural fabrics take precedence at this little shop, with woollen knits for winter and airy linen for the summertime. Yarn lovers will rejoice at the selection of snuggly handmade sweaters and scarves (RMB 120-180) in a variety of unique designs and colors. The emphasis now, though, is on lighter cardigans and shirts and dresses in peasant-style cotton and linen for the springtime. Accessories include scarves (RMB 30-80) and inexpensive but cheaply made linen satchels (RMB 50).
Daily noon-10pm. 178-3 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (8123 5905) 爱麻人，东城区鼓楼东大街178-3号

Bye Bye Disco
Owned by Pang Kuan of new wave electro-punk duo New Pants, this tiny shop is exuberantly enthusiastic about all things retro. Anyone who grew up in 1970s and 80s China will instantly recognize such nostalgia-inducing household goods like shiny red thermoses (RMB 85) and painted white metal cups (RMB 50). The clothing selection includes classic Feiyue trainers (RMB 89-169), Beijing track jackets (RMB 299), “double happiness” T-shirts (RMB 89) and shimmery disco wear. Particularly exciting for diehard fans of our socialist past are simple children’s games themed around military rankings and cat cops from a popular 1980s children’s cartoon. And of course, you can also pick up New Pant’s CDs (RMB 40-50) – perfect for your very own disco party.
Daily 11am–10pm. 38-2 Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District. (6402 5581) 东城区南锣鼓巷38-2号

Mao Le Wu
Invite some fortune into your life with just the right maneki neko – the beckoning Japanese fortune cat (zhaocai mao in Chinese) and ceramic star of many an entrance foyer in Asian businesses around the world. Pick just one, or ensure absolute prosperity by collecting them all – porcelain ornaments, necklaces, mobile phone chains and more. To round out the Japan theme, there’s a pretty collection of purses, make-up bags (RMB 40), cell phone holders (RMB 25) and cats (RMB 45), all made with flowered prints of kimono-style fabric.
Daily noon-10pm. 178-3 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (6405 8010) 猫乐屋，东城区鼓楼东大街97-7号

Zha Fei Zha
More than just a simple toy shop, Zha Fei Zha is packed with gadgets and novelty gifts. This is the place for reasonably-priced home ware gadgets or gifts with some tomfoolery attached. You’ll find “nerd glasses,” rubber chickens, small foosball tables (RMB 280), hand held head massagers, toy ice-cream makers (RMB 65) and home jukeboxes (RMB 2,300).
Daily 10am-10pm. 66 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (6601 7268) 扎非扎，东城区鼓楼东大街66号

Underground Kidz
This little fashion closet on Gulou Dongdajie is a mecca for hipsters with a taste for retro clothing. Owner Liu Hao of Joyside, another dignitary of the Beijing music scene, can often be found here offering advice along with his band’s promotional flyers. A good perusal of Underground Kidz will throw up late 80s T-shirts for a mere RMB 20, vintage sweaters (RMB 60-100), duffle coats (RMB 420), and that thrift store staple, leather jackets (from RMB 1,100). The cinema-style billboard above the shop changes from time to time; don’t expect it to always read “Underground Kidz.”
Daily 2-10pm. 69-2 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (8401 2346) 东城区鼓楼东大街69-2号

Fang Si
Handbags and wallets eschew fine Italian leather at this design-oriented shop, which stocks Shanghai-based mrkt’s line of bold, colorful felt accessories. According to mrkt, felt is renewable, recyclable, durable, and flame and mildew resistant, thus making it the perfect material for wallets (RMB 49) and clutches (RMB 75). The felt laptop sleeves (RMB 218) with laser cut-out designs – reminiscent of stained glass windows – are particularly beautiful, while the handbags with flower appliqués are a good deal at RMB 198. SQY-T also has a big presence here, with T-shirts (RMB 180-280), scarves (RMB 120) and totes printed with their distinctive, urban-centric designs – a map of Beijing, the silhouette of a wintry tree or the façade of an apartment building.
Daily 1-11pm. 96-1 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (6403 4165) 放肆，东城区鼓楼东大街96-1号

Hoshih
This chic jewelry store is operated and owned by local designers and artists. Tasteful semi-precious stone necklaces range in price from RMB 150 to RMB 800, while earrings start from RMB 120. Hoshih also stocks an assortment of colorful scarves (RMB 180-380) and handmade cotton purses (RMB 68-120) that fold out into bags.
Daily 11.30am-10pm. 17-3 Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District. (6401 5051) 和仕，东城区南锣鼓巷17-3号

Le Petite Chat
Sunlight flows in through this shop’s large glass window to illuminate flower pots, sewing machines, antique furniture, leather satchels, and vintage bohemian apparel. But simplicity comes at a price: the fine cotton Mandarin-collared tunics, country-style dresses and skirts in soft hues and subtle designs cost upwards of RMB 400 each. Sister store Lost and Found also supplies the shop with items like hand-painted thermos flasks (RMB 78) and fragrant organic hand soap (RMB 32).
Daily 11:30am-9pm. 47 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (8402 8831) 生活饰集，东城区鼓楼东大街47号

Spoon House
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about this store is its unique wall decoration – spoons in all shapes and sizes and styles, made of wood and iron and more. But alas, the spoons are part of the owner’s personal collection, and not for sale. Fortunately, this hipster boutique offers plenty of marvels for sale, like one-of-a-kind clothing from young Chinese designers that you won’t find elsewhere in Beijing. A small but well-chosen accessories collection includes leather sandals, belts, clever canvas tote bags, silver jewelry and water-proof, tear-proof paper wallets (RMB 86). Most items are for women, but they also have a small selection of men’s leather bags.
Mon-Thu 1-9.30pm, Fri-Sun 1-10pm. 211 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (6400 6419) www.spoonhouse.cn 勺子家, 鼓楼东大街211号