People walk past a store selling goods from Russia in the popular Qianmen tourist area in Beijing on Jan. 13, 2025. Adek Berry/AFP via Getty Images
Once a trendy fixture in shopping malls across China, Russian goods stores—known for selling snacks, crafts, and souvenirs marketed as authentic imports—are closing in droves.
In less than a year, the fad has gone from rapid expansion to mass liquidation, leaving empty storefronts in major commercial hubs nationwide.
