If you've been wandering around Shanghai's malls lately, you've probably noticed crowds gathering around colorful stores filled with cute figurines. That's Pop Mart, and it's taken Shanghai by storm!
I've spent way too much time (and money!) at Shanghai's huge Pop Mart flagship store and the new Pop Land, and I'm here to share all my secrets about Shanghai Popmart!
The store runs from 10 AM to 11 PM daily, but let me tell you about the best times to visit. Early mornings on weekdays (10 AM - noon) are more peaceful - that's when I usually go to avoid the crowds. Weekends get really busy, especially between 2 PM and 6 PM when it feels like half of Shanghai is there! If you're after new releases, try to come right when they open at 10 AM - the popular items can sell out pretty quickly.
Here's a local tip: if you're also planning to visit The Bund, come to Pop Mart in the late afternoon around 4 PM, then head to The Bund around 6 PM for the sunset and light show. The store's evening atmosphere is really nice too, with all the special lighting making the displays look extra special.
Source from Popmart
Source from Popmart
Source from Popmart
Source from Popmart
What makes the Shanghai flagship store unique is their exclusive items:
If you're in Shanghai, you absolutely can't miss the global flagship store! Shanghai Pop Mart is located in HKRI Taikoo Hui Plaza on Nanjing East Road. You can see wall-to-wall displays of blind boxes, limited edition collections, and exclusive releases you won't find anywhere else.
Keep your eyes peeled for Pop Mart's famous pop-up events around Shanghai. You'll find Pop Mart stores in major malls like Global Harbor in Putuo District, Grand Gateway 66 in Xujiahui, and IFC Mall in Lujiazui. The recent Pop Land launch at Xujiahui was INCREDIBLE - imagine interactive games, new releases, and the excitement of fellow collectors all in one place. Follow their WeChat account to stay updated on upcoming events!
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The Shanghai Popmart is very convenient as it's situated between two major shopping areas: Nanjing East Road's traditional shopping district and Nanjing West Road's luxury mall area.
As soon as you walk in, you'll see the massive wall of blind boxes - it's pretty amazing how many they fit in there! The main area has this really cool Molly Paradise Gate section. I love hanging out near the trading corner, where collectors swap their extra blind boxes and chat about the latest releases. They change up the decorations with the seasons too, so there's always something new to see. The checkout area is right in the middle, with plenty of staff to help you find what you're looking for.
Head upstairs and you'll find yourself in what collectors call "the good stuff." The second floor is where they keep all the Shanghai-only items - think Molly dolls wearing traditional qipao and Dimoo figures that look like they're hanging out at local street food spots. Everything up here feels a bit fancier, with nice display cases showing off the limited editions. If you're looking for a Shanghai souvenir, this is definitely the place to find it.
The Shanghai flagship store is famous for its city-exclusive collections that you won't find in any other Pop Mart store - not even in Beijing or overseas.
There's a whole series of Molly dolls wearing Shanghai-style qipao, and my favorite is the special Dimoo collection that hold local food like xiaolongbao and street scenes from the French Concession.
They also have seasonal Shanghai editions - during autumn, they released a really cute Moon Festival Dimoo holding a mooncake!
Let me save you some hassle with payments - Alipay is the best choice here! While the store accepts WeChat Pay, it can be tricky for tourists since it requires a Chinese phone number or ID. Here's what works best:
Alipay is super convenient - you can set it up with your international card and English interface. I've seen lots of tourists use it without any problems. They also take all major international credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), and UnionPay of course. While cash is accepted, having Alipay ready will make your shopping much smoother, especially during busy times.
Quick heads up about prices: regular blind boxes usually cost between 59-79 RMB, while special editions and larger figures can range from 199 RMB to over 1000 RMB for really limited pieces. Having Alipay set up means you can easily keep track of your spending and get digital receipts - super helpful if you need to return anything later!
Here's what locals do:
Here's what I love doing with friends who visit Shanghai - we start at Pop Mart around 4 PM (it's less crowded then), spend about an hour hunting for cute figures, then walk down Nanjing Road towards The Bund.
The walk is super fun because you'll pass all these snack shops - definitely grab some bubble tea from Hey Tea or try the local street food!
By the time you reach The Bund, it's usually around 6:30 PM - perfect timing for those amazing sunset photos of the Pudong skyline. Trust me, the lights are magical at this time!
Pop Mart is actually in a really sweet spot for shopping. If you like fancy brands, head west to Plaza 66 - it's like the Rodeo Drive of Shanghai. But honestly, I prefer walking east down Nanjing Road where you'll find more interesting local shops and better prices.
Plus, there's this great food hall called "First Food Hall" about 10 minutes away - they have all the Shanghai snacks you need to try, like xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and scallion pancakes.
If it's raining (or just too hot - Shanghai summers are no joke!), here's what I do:
Start at People's Square - the Shanghai Museum is free and has amazing stuff. Then pop into the Urban Planning Exhibition Center (sounds boring but it's actually super cool - they have this huge model of Shanghai).
After that, head to Pop Mart, and if you're still up for more, walk over to the Yu Garden area for dinner in the old town. The dumplings there are incredible!
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