NANJINGNOW

The products in Nanjing are, for the most part, different from the ones in America and Europe. True, Nanjing has large chain stores like Walmart, Carrefour, and CE Mart which stock a wide array of Western products. However, there are some little details which are often missed. Until recently, it was very, very hard to find Sunchips, Doritos, or similar salty, super flavored snacks here. Luckily, Times New Grocery stepped in to fill the void.

This is not to say that Times New Grocery carries nothing except snacks, but the Doritos and other assorted chips are what catch the attention of many Americans (I am one) when they first enter the store. Think of it as the Doritos standard: if the store can carry this sort of snack, then the rest of the food should be equally “exotic”. Other items which caught people’s attention were Pop-tarts, flour tortillas and chili flavoring, a very wide spice rack, Japanese curries, and cream cheese.

For those people who have access to an oven or kitchen, Times New Grocery carries many interesting products for baking and cooking. For those with a sweet tooth, there is cake mix, brownie mix, muffin mix, and other instant recipes. For the more health conscious, brown flour and sugar are also sold. While it is true that some of the items found in Times New Grocery could be found in other stores, Times has some advantages.

First, the store is located very conveniently on Yunnan Lu, less than a block up the road from the intersection of Beijing Xilu. If one is walking from Nanjing University’s Xiyuan building, reaching Times New Grocery will take less then ten minutes. Furthermore, the store is small and feels quite personal. Those people who have been to any of the larger chain stores can safely say that these places are almost unmanageably big in some respects. Going there can easily take an hour of your day, since walking around the store takes such a long time. Times New Grocery is small shop, and walking from on end to the other takes seconds. Bigger is not always better.

One area where Times New Grocery really shines is the liquor selection. There is an impressive array of alcohol on the second floor, ranging from white wines to brandy to whiskey. The beer selection is also very impressive, carrying such brands as New Castle. If you want a brief (if relatively expensive) reprieve from Snow or Qingdao pijiu, then this is definitely a place to look. Foreign liquor is certainly not in short supply in Nanjing, but it is nice to see a shop with a slightly wider array of products.

As with any other import store, there are some things to keep in mind. First, there are not really any fresh products. There is a freezer with meat, but do not go in there expecting to find a giant, fresh, ripe, imported Indian mangos or Mexican avocados. Second, the price. This is not a small corner store or Suguo, so do not expect to spend less than twenty kuai on a round of beers or bottle of wine. Alcohol prices usually started around 50 yuan for a bottle, and a food is not cheap either. For example, a box of Pop-tarts costs slightly over 40 RMB. If you really crave some sweet, sweet Western food or booze, then this should not be an obstacle. If you plan on shopping there on a regular basis, make sure you can make a good budget for yourself.

Times New Grocery is an interesting place to go. Almost everyone who goes there will find something which they like, and something which they thought did not previously exist in Nanjing. The store has a nice, cozy atmosphere and is not overwhelming like larger chain stores. However, some shoppers will be put off by lack of fresh groceries and higher prices. However, the store has Doritos, and this is enough to keep me shopping there from time to time.