Say Goodbye to the Old Wujiang Road in 2009 « My Shanghai That’s Shanghai

Say Goodbye to the Old Wujiang Road in 2009

Wujiang Road might be the most famous eatery street in Shanghai. But today’s news said that the second phase of Wujiang Road Renovation Project has started which means the East part of the Wujiang Road will be completely tore down by the end of 2009.

(The East Part of Wujiang Road is now partly blocked for renovation)

East part of Wujiang Road partly blocked for renovation

(courtesy photo by Xinmin.cn)

Although Shanghai government said that the planning of the new Wujiang Road hasn’t been finalised, we can probably have a rough idea by looking at the newly renovated west part of Wujiang Road, which is behind Shanghai Marks& Spencers Store. Instead of of those small street food stores, the new part is full of well known restaurants, cafe, shops etc such as Starbucks, COSTA coffee, KFC.

Newly renovated West Part of Wujiang Road

Newly renovated west part of Wujiang Road in the night

Personally I think the renovation project is taking the best part of Wujiang Road away. I loved the Wujiang Road when I first time came. Those little crowded, noisy food stores were full of energy, grass root people’s real life, chaotic but exciting, that is what I want to feel about China. Especially in West Nanjing Road CBD where is full of expensive, high end designer brands, Wujiang Road definitely adds the strongest, Wujiang Road used to offer this unique window for Shanghai.

East part of Wujiang Road - old Wujiang Road

Sadly, all those small food shops will be gone by the end of this year and replaced by those pretty, nice modern restaurants, bistros, and shops which you can find anywhere in Shanghai.

Below are some photos I took before in Wujiang Road.