On a sweltering July evening in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province, a long queue stretches down the pavement outside ZhongjieBingdian, an ice-cream shop. Customers are waiting for popsicles that have refreshed people for eight decades.
Situated on the 400-year-old Zhongjie Street, one of China’s oldest and longest pedestrian commercial avenues, ZhongjieBingdian was founded in 1946. Today, this time-honored brand thrives by preserving the flavors that built its legacy while adapting to meet the demands of younger, health-conscious consumers.
For local resident surnamed Zhang, who grew up just around the corner, the shop represents three generations of family memories.
“My grandparents used to buy popsicles here. My parents had their dates in this very shop,” Zhang said. “Now it’s my turn to make my own memories here.”
Each popsicle, Zhang said, serves as a time capsule. In a city that has witnessed the transformation of heavy industry, this familiar flavor offers an anchor of stability.
“I never change my order,” she explained. “The ‘half-liquid’ milk treats and the shop’s fried fish ball skewers are the exact same treats I’ve loved since childhood. The taste hasn’t changed.”
In China’s northeast, eating cold treats is a year-round ritual, even when snow covers the streets.
“Whenever my friends from other provinces visit Shenyang, this is the very first place I bring them,” Zhang added. “They always fall in love with it.”
While loyal patrons cherish these classic flavors, shop manager Chen Hongyue knows that nostalgia alone cannot sustain a business in today’s competitive market.
“Our signature ‘half-liquid’, a semi-frozen milk-based treat, has remained largely unchanged,” Chen said. “But we’re not frozen in time ourselves.”
To accommodate evolving preferences, the shop recently introduced lower-sugar variants infused with jasmine tea and pure milk, catering to consumers seeking lighter and healthier options. It has also added Italian-style gelato, low in fat and sugar and made fresh daily.
“We rolled out these two new flavors about a month ago, and the response has been overwhelming,” Chen added.
The strategy is working. Today, ZhongjieBingdian has grown into a nationwide sensation, propelled by viral online attention and official recognition.
On social media platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin, tens of thousands of travel and food influencers share detailed check-in guides, photographs and reviews, naming the shop an essential stop on any Shenyang itinerary.
This digital fame is reinforced by credentials. As Liaoning’s first cold drink brand certified as a China time-honored brand, it also holds the distinction of being a national key agricultural industrialization leading enterprise.
For Chen, product innovation represents only half of the brand’s strategy. Equally important is maintaining trust through consistent quality and affordable pricing.
“We offer products at different price points, but we never push expensive items just to boost sales,” Chen said.
“Our focus remains on classic and affordable flavors. That’s how we build trust, and trust is what has kept both this brand and this street alive for so long.”
ZhongjieBingdian is not alone in striking this balance between heritage and innovation on Zhongjie street.
Neighboring establishments like Laobian Dumplings and Ma’s Shumai also uphold traditional craftsmanship while introducing contemporary offerings, collectively sustaining the historic pedestrian street’s enduring vitality.
Feng Wenyue, Zheng Xinyi, Wang Qian and Zhang Qiaonan contributed to the story.
