Beijing's first pop-up store dedicated to the souvenirs of universities, "Zhongzhou Wenyuan" (中轴文苑), recently opened on Qianmen Street, introducing original designs from 10 universities to this historic commercial district. The store is a collaborative effort by the Dongcheng District Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, Qianmen Subdistrict and the Qianmen Chamber of Commerce. The participating universities include Renmin University of China, the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and the University of International Business and Economics.

Here, you can find a wide range of products, including campus-inspired merchandise, creative designs with cultural elements, and practical everyday items. The store has an interactive area themed around the Beijing Central Axis, transforming the retail space into a venue for cultural exchanges and youth engagement.

What sets the store apart is that all the products on display were designed by university students and faculty members. According to a representative of one of the participatinguniversity design teams, each product blendsacademic insights with youthful creativity. For instance, architecture students interpreted the Beijing Central Axis through its spatial rhythm, communication students focused on how thestories of this World Heritage site can be presented to a wider audience, and the studentsfrom the Beijing University of Chinese Medicinedrew inspiration from its connections to health and wellness culture.

The team behind the store began reaching out touniversities in April and ultimately adopted a pop-up model characterized by "light assets, rapid setup, and strong experiences". This modelnot only reduced the trial-and-error costs entailed by new business formats but also revitalized an existing commercial space. The Qianmen Chamber of Commerce played a key role by selecting the store's location and facilitating upgrades through coordination, laying a solid foundation for the store's establishment.

Going forward, Qianmen Subdistrict plans to establish a long-term cooperation mechanism with universities, regularly solicit designs inspired by the Beijing Central Axis, and collaborate with time-honored brands to develop crossover products.

(Source: Beijing Dongcheng)