Russia-Themed Stores Closing Down Across China as Retail Craze Fades

Russia-Themed Stores Closing Down Across China as Retail Craze Fades

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. The boom coincided with the early months of the Russia–Ukraine war in 2022, when China’s state-controlled media saturated coverage…