Chongnan Commercial District Shopping Festival Kicks off November 1

According to the Taipei City Government, Taipei City Office of Commerce (TCOOC) joined hands with the Chongnan Book Promotion Association (CBPA) to organize the “Discover the Charm of Book Street: 2021 Chongnan Commercial District Shopping Festival” from November 1 through December 1.

Deputy Mayor Huang Shan-shan recalled that the numerous bookstores located along Chongqing South Road used to be a paradise for bookworms and avid readers. However, with changing times and new prospects, the commercial district has undergone drastic shifts, seeing an increase of stores targeting tourists and a decline in the number of bookstores.

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The Chongnan business district has gradually turned into a complex and tourist-oriented business. (Photo / Provided by the Taipei City Office of Commerce)

To stimulate local business, the association works closely with TCOOC to hold numerous activities each year. The “Chongnan Book Street Exploration” in 2019 and “Chongnan FUN Book-cation” of 2020 are all examples of such collaboration, brining the public to the district to experience local culture and learn more about its history.

Chairperson Shen Rong-yi of the association remarked that the 2021 Chongnan Commercial District Shopping Festival officially kicks-off on November 1. To encourage visitors to come and explore, a total of 400 lucky individuals were chosen at random from a pool of pre-registered participants to receive electronic vouchers which could be used at the partner stores of the event.

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The Chongnan Shopping District Shopping Festival will last until December 1. (Photo / Provided by the Taipei City Office of Commerce)

Furthermore, the organizers invited artists ARU MENG to design two co-branded reusable shopping bags. For a chance to bring home one of these bags, simply shop at a partner stores or “like” the association’s fan page during the activity period. These souvenirs are only available in limited numbers, so act while supplies last!

Do you enjoy the products from century-old shops in Taipei? The good news is that famous stores such as Café Astoria, Snow King Ice Cream, and HJT Books are all partner stores of the festival. For more information, please visit the Chinese Face book fan page of CBPA, the official event website, or the Facebook fan page of TCOOC.