The refreshing season of autumn ushered in another joyful celebration for the city of Xuzhou amidst the sweet scent of Osmanthus blossoms. On September 15, the Xuzhou Sanpower International Plaza, a RMB 3 billion complex developed by Sanpower Group that offers recreation and entertainment experiences unlike any other, celebrated its grand opening by welcoming 300 thousand visitors and establishing itself as a new commercial landmark to the Huaihai Economic Zone. Located at the intersection of South Jiefang Road and East Jinshan Road in Xuzhou’s Quanshan District, The 260,000-square-meter Plaza, features a large shopping center, commercial pedestrian streets, a premium SoHo space and other business outlets.

Attending the opening ceremony that morning were a number of top leaders from Sanpower, including Chairman of the Group, Mr. Yuan Yafei, Senior VP and Chairman of House of Fraser and Brookstone, Mr. Frank Slevin, and Senior VP, Mr. Wu Gang. British Consul General in Shanghai, Mr. John Edwards, Singapore Consul General in Shanghai, Mr. Loh Tuck Wai, US Commercial Consul in Shanghai, Mr. Franklin Joseph and Executive President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Mr. Phil Roebuck, were among the other distinguished guests attending the ceremony at the invitation of Sanpower. Officials from Xuzhou’s municipal party committee and government also visited the Plaza and spoke highly of its unique business model and diversity of commercial spaces.

In 2016,Xuzhou was among the first four cities designated as “Key Chinese Cities for Sino-UK Cooperation” by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in 2016, and has since seen increasing levels of exchange and cooperation with the UK. The Sanpower International Plaza in Xuzhou not only hosts the more-than-a-century-old British department store, House of Fraser, but also boasts the largest toy store by Hamleys, another time-honored brand. In an opening ceremony speech, British Consul General in Shanghai Mr. John Edwards thanked the Xuzhou municipal government and Quanshan District government for their support in bringing these two British brands to Xuzhou, about which he shared his fond memories as a British citizen. He then went on to express his appreciation of Sanpower Group’s efforts in making authentic British brands and services available to the people of Xuzhou, and elevating the brands’ popularity.

Xuzhou and Sanpower Group share a long history. Chairman Yuan’s family is originally from Xuzhou, and as a successful entrepreneur, he was named the first-ever“Annual Economic Figure of Xuzhou”earlier this year. Speaking of Xuzhou, Chairman Yuan had nothing but pride. He said that Xuzhou is not only a city rich in culture and history, but also plays a pivotal role in the Huaihai Economic Zone. He explained, similar to its role as a hub for five major provinces in ancient China, modern Xuzhou is a burgeoning city and a promising destination for investment. But for Chairman Yuan, what’s more important is that Xuzhou is his hometown. That’s why he’s continuously directed Sanpower to pay close attention to the opportunities for investment and business expansion presented by Xuzhou. With the opening of the Xuzhou Sanpower International Plaza, the nearly 10 million residents of the city now have access to the best products and services in the world and are able to enjoy novel shopping experiences.

Chairman Yuan went on to explain that because Xuzhou serves as a critical juncture in the Belt & Road initiative and is one of the first four cities designated as “Key Chinese Cities for Sino-UK cooperation” by the Ministry of Commerce, it thus already has a good foundation for international exchange and cooperation. He believes with the support of the Xuzhou’s municipal government, the Quanshan District government and the people of Xuzhou, the Sanpower International Plaza, as a new commercial landmark of Xuzhou and even of the Huaihai Economic Zone, will become a new driver for transforming and upgrading the city’s commercial scene and add significant momentum to Xuzhou’s efforts to transform itself into an international city.

Sanpower made a commitment to Xuzhou to bring the city the best foreign products and services from overseas. In honoring this commitment, Sanpower Group introduced into the Plaza many international brands such as House of Fraser, a British department store with 168 years of history, Hamleys, a world-renowned toy store with 257 years of history, moromoro, a Japanese department store for premium consumer goods, and Brookstone, an American retail chain of novelty gadgets, along with a 7500-square-meter underwater aquarium and a Sanpower International Theater, which is the first theater in Xuzhou to feature ultra-large screens with 4K laser projection and panoramic sound. Indeed, Sanpower has brought the marvels of the world to the doorstep of the people in Xuzhou.

With the British department store House of Fraser and toy store Hamleys being two of the anchor stores, the Sanpower International Plaza emanates a distinct British vibe. Aside from the brands, the decor of the Plaza also showcases British culture and sights. For instance, House of Fraser has quintessential British landmarks on display at every floor. As Chinese customers shop in the Plaza, they are immersed in a British ambience, experiencing the brands, the culture as well as the shopping all at the same time.

In addition to the British department store and toy shop, the Plaza also hosts Brookstone, an American novelty gadgets store and other businesses such as an aquarium, a theater, a bookstore, a gym, a foot court, etc, making the Plaza an ideal place for families to shop, hang out, be entertained and be satisfied. A visit to the Plaza will enable consumers to not only keep up with British fashion trends, but also savor cuisines from across the world and unwind through all sorts of recreational and entertainment activities in a culturally educational experience, all at one stop.

In response to the recent nationwide campaign for supply-side structural reforms, Chairman Yuan Yafei of Sanpower Group put forward the development philosophy of “Future defines future.” The Group and its subsidiaries have been introducing into China leading foreign brands, managerial systems and business models, thereby drawing on international experience to facilitate the transformations and upgrading of the commercial sector in China, redefine the value of offline consumption, and take domestic consumption to a higher level.

Yuan believes that offline commerce will not die out. According to him, brick-and-mortar retailers still hold a promising future, but in order to realize that future, they’ll have to go through a transformation to provide customers with better experiences and more than just material satisfaction. The Xuzhou Sanpower International Plaza is another substantive step in Sanpower’s efforts to promote Offline Retail 4.0. Yuan added that the Plaza is more than just another place to sell stuff, but also a place for families to shop and have fun in experiences that deepen their bond, a place that brings the people in Xuzhou and in the Huaihai Economic Zone better consumer experiences.