Friendship Store

The Friendship Store on Jianguomenwai Dajie is a historic shopping destination in Beijing, originally established to serve foreign diplomats and tourists. Today, it remains a large department store with a focus on Chinese handicrafts, silk, porcelain, tea, and jewelry. The store is divided into sections: ground floor for cosmetics and snacks, upper floors for clothing, homeware, and antiques. It's a convenient one-stop shop for souvenirs like cloisonné vases, jade figurines, and calligraphy sets. The atmosphere is less chaotic than Beijing's street markets, with fixed prices and English-speaking staff in some areas. While the selection is broad, prices are generally higher than at local markets. The store also has a supermarket section where you can buy Chinese teas, spices, and packaged foods. It's a reliable place for quality-controlled shopping, though not the most exciting for bargain hunters.

Don't miss

• Browse the silk section for scarves, robes, and fabric by the meter
• Shop for traditional Chinese tea sets and loose-leaf teas
• Find authentic Chinese porcelain and ceramics on the upper floors
• Pick up art supplies like ink sticks, brushes, and rice paper
• Visit the supermarket for unique snacks and spices

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Friendship Store

Cheapest way inForbidden City/ Palace Museum & Tiananmen Sq. Ticket Booking4.7★ · 162 travelers2-4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$3 per personSee dates →Most bookedBeijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)4.8★ · 1,475 travelers3-4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$9 per personSee dates →Private & flexiblePrivate Mutianyu Great Wall Tour from Beijing5★ · 40 travelers~6 hoursFree cancellationFrom$115 per personSee dates →

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Know before you go

• International credit cards are accepted, but have cash as backup.
• Prices are fixed; no bargaining here.
• Ask about tax-free shopping for tourists; you may get a refund at the airport.
• The store has a currency exchange counter on the ground floor.

A bit of history

The Friendship Store chain was launched in the 1950s by the Chinese government to provide goods to foreign visitors and diplomats during a time when most shops were off-limits to foreigners. The Beijing branch on Jianguomenwai opened in the 1970s and has since evolved into a general department store.