Signs of the times along Huaihai Road

As a well-known shopping street loses flagship stores, it must transform itself to retain tenants and attract customers, reports Wu Yiyao in Shanghai

Huaihai Road used to be one of the busiest streets in Shanghai, with shoppers flocking to Japanese shopping mall Isetan, Mattel's Barbie flagship store and electronic home appliances retailer Media Mart, along with numerous shops for jewelry and watches.

Yet in the past few months, business seems to have turned sluggish, with many brands, including the above big names, having retreated from the 5.5-kilometer street.