After operating for 51 years in Ximen commercial district, Far Eastern Department Baoqing Store (FEDS Baoqing) held its final operating day on July 24th.
Established in 1972, the Far Eastern Department Store was once a preeminent shopping spot in Taipei’s Ximending, per UDN. Department staff led by President Nancy Hsu gathered at the first-floor entrance at 6 p.m. on Monday to bow to customers who exited the building one last time.
Addressing the large crowd, Hsu said, “Thank you for being here. I believe everyone is as sad as I am.”
It was an emotional day for the department store as many customers came to see the store one last time and feel the last customer experience.
Chairman Hsu recalled the opening of FEDS Baoqing at a time when Taiwan was leaving the United Nations, and the economic outlook was uncertain. At that time, there were two to three floors empty in the department store, and high import tariffs made it a challenge to fill the store with goods.
Compared to now, where the store is filled to the brim with merchandise, it is indeed a good sight. During the past three months of the sales period, many loyal customers visited and wrote letters to share their memories of buying their first dresses or suits here.
The nostalgia surrounding Baoqing and its historical significance have become major attractions, appealing to customers over the age of 50, who also possess strong purchasing power.
Due to changing market conditions, the store’s wide aisles and downtown location could not keep up with modern trends. Demolition and a five-year reconstruction project will start in August.
The new department store to be built on this site will be an eco-friendly building that meets modern needs, using the latest technology to enhance the consumer experience. The new store also hopes to appeal to a younger demographic that has been lured to newer department stores in recent years.
In previous media reports, Far Eastern Group Chair Douglas Hsu said the new Baoqing department store will be a combination of a department store and a retail business, along with movie theaters and other businesses. Far Eastern Group hopes the new store will become a new landmark in Ximending, complete with a new look and design representative of the next generation.
The post Taiwan’s longest-running department store closes in Ximending first appeared on CXP – Customer Experience Asia.