Walking south to the end of Sinan Lu then turning right onto Taikang Lu will bring you to the latest fashionably artsy shopping and lunching quarter, Tianzifang . You’ll have to look hard to find the unassuming entrance, an arch over alley 210, which stretches north off Taikang Lu. It leads onto Taikang Art Street, a narrow north–south alleyway that is the central artery for an expanding web of alleys filling up with trendy boutiques, coffee shops, handmade jewellery stores, art galleries, interior design consultancies and the like, all housed in converted shikumen houses. At its northern end, it comes out at Sinan Lu, but don’t even try to come in from there – the entrance is really tough to find.
Inevitably, the place gets compared with Xintiandi; but whereas the architecture there is modern pastiche, this is a set of real, warts-and-all longtangs, with the result that it’s quainter, shabbier and more charming. There are still plenty of local families around, who continue, boutiques or no boutiques, to hang their woolly underwear out to dry, and old folk shuffle round in their pyjamas, studiously ignored by the chic ladies who lunch. If you’re looking for an artsy knick-knack or accessory, quirky souvenir, tasteful homeware or a designer original, this is the place to come; an emphasis on local design and creativity rather than brands makes this the best shopping experience in the city. There’s a tourist information booth just inside the entrance and next to that, a map shop; you might balk at paying ¥5 for a glossy sheet of paper, but really the map is invaluable as the alleys are something of a warren.
Insh Store
The Insh Store derived its name from the phrase, In Shanghai. This is the perfect store to go to if you are looking for designer clothes. They have everything that is fashion-related, from ladies’ dresses and tops to men’s coats and shirts and everything else in between.
Boutique Cashmere Lover
If you are in search for fabulous sweaters, check out the Boutique Cashmere Lover. Some of their items have Chinese-inspired pattern and style, while others are plain yet elegant. All of their products are guaranteed to feel good on your skin while keeping you warm.
Deke Erh Art Culture
There are lots of stores in Taikang Road which offer a wide variety of clothes. The best part is that, they got designer clothes which will satisfy your urge to splurge but there are also budget-friendly fashion items. You can change your entire wardrobe by just shopping at Taikang Road.
Aside from clothes and fashion accessories, you will also stumble upon unique items which can be great home decorations or one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends back home. The Deke Erh Art Culture will enthrall you because of their impressive collection of books. This place is owned by Deke Erh, who is a popular local photographer and author. He also owns the place called Old China Hand Reading Room.
Unique Hill
If you want to browse through astounding posters and photographs of Shanghai, check out Unique Hill. This is a gallery which will not only amaze you because of the creative works that are on display but also because of the showcased beauty of Shanghai.
Jugend
Jugend is a place for movie fans to appreciate movies all over the world with wine and talking about them with the same camp. “It is a genuinely and elegantly interesting room”, said the designer Yanghan. There are about 50 chairs and Viennese coffee and French wine prepared for movie fans.
The Gallery
The Gallery is a mini art gallery. In the gallery, the paintings displayed are featuring character and romantic. Maybe visitors can just turning around In the 10 square meter gallery, but the frequency of changing the paintings is high. The paintings are all works of Chinese young artists that full of character, imagination and fresh. There are two larger galleries in Moganshan Road and Anfu Road.