French luxury store shuts doors in Beijing after 13 years
Men box up products in the Galeries Lafayette mall, a day before it closes, in Beijing on May 26, 2026.(AFP)
Major French luxury department store Galeries Lafayette closed its first China flagship branch on Wednesday, over a decade after opening, pointing to sluggish domestic consumption and shifting spending habits.
A steady stream of shoppers browsed for last-minute deals as employees packed away unsold merchandise and mannequins on the penultimate day of Galeries Lafayette operations in Beijing, which has been open for 13 years, AFP journalists saw.
The six-floor emporium three kilometres (1.8 miles) west of the Forbidden City was being emptied of handbags, clothing, shoes and children's toys before it locked up indefinitely.
