[First in Shanghai] From Yoga to Grooming, New Retail Lands

First in Shanghai is our column documenting the rise of Shanghai's "debut economy," a model built on being first, fast, and everywhere at once. What started as a policy initiative has morphed into a citywide phenomenon: part economic strategy, part cultural spectacle. In this series, we explore how brands – both local and global – are choosing Shanghai not just to launch products, but to create moments. It's retail as ritual, commerce as event, and we're here to unpack what it all means.

Shanghai retail keeps finding new ways to flex. It is no longer just about buying things. It is about mood, atmosphere and the gentle art of hanging out with intent. The latest batch of openings reads like a personality test for the city, bouncing from polished yoga wear to small batch coffee counters to skincare that looks like it escaped from a children's art book.

These places are selling ideas as much as products. A sense of calm borrowed from the outdoors. A quiet respect for craft and process. A wink of color and optimism designed to make you smile before you even open your wallet. Some are global names refining their Shanghai accent, others are niche newcomers betting on curiosity and good taste.

Let's dive in to some new openings, and happening around the city:

Alo Yoga

Alo Yoga is finally landing in Shanghai. The Los Angeles born activewear brand will open its first China store in the second quarter at Jing'an Kerry Center, taking over the old Michael Kors spot with a two-floor setup that signals fairly serious intent.

Founded in 2007 by Danny Harris and Marco DeGeorge, Alo started with yoga gear designed to look good both inside and outside the studio. The name comes from Air Land and Ocean, a neat bit of branding shorthand for its nature leaning worldview and softly aspirational lifestyle pitch.

What began as yoga wear has slowly ballooned into a full lifestyle universe. There are shirts, sun blocking layers, menswear and a growing beauty line, all built around the idea that wellness should photograph well and feel effortless.

Prices sit comfortably in premium territory. Sports tops land between about 300 and 1,000 yuan (US$43.2-143.8), leggings push from 500 up to 1,500, and outerwear can climb to 2,500 yuan if you let it.

Celebrity gravity has done plenty of the heavy lifting. Taylor Swift, Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Blackpink's Kim Jisoo have all been spotted in Alo, helping turn it from yoga adjacent brand into a global status signal.

Talk of Alo coming to China has been floating around for years. After locking in North America, the brand has rolled out stores across the UK and much of Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea. It now runs roughly 75 stores in 25 countries, with Shanghai as the next stretch of mat.

If you go...

Address: Jing'an Kerry Center

静安嘉里中心

Kuoca

Kuoca has quietly slipped into Shanghai with its first local store at EKA Tianwu in Jinqiao. The South Korean fragrance and body care brand is debuting with its Epicure Blends line, a collection built around small batch, handcrafted bath and skincare products that feel closer to a tasting menu than a beauty counter.

The brand was founded by Kim Ji-su in a modest studio in Seoul, and it still carries that intimate, hands on energy. The name Kuoca comes from the Italian word for a fine-dining chef, which pretty much explains the whole concept. Skincare through the lens of gastronomy, where ingredients matter, process is everything, and nothing is rushed.

Each product is treated like a dish, carefully composed and finished with intention. Scents lean foodie without tipping into gimmick, and the packaging is bold, colorful and unapologetically stylish, designed to look good on both your shelf and your camera roll.

That mix has struck a nerve back home. Kuoca's Seongsu-dong flagship has become a minor pilgrimage site, especially among young Korean women who treat it less like a shop and more like a sensory playground. Now Shanghai gets a seat at the table.

Unlike many minimalist, low-saturation brands, Kuoca's vibrant visual design conveys a bright, lively energy that instantly lifts the mood.

Kim Ji-su blends the luxury food concept with eye-catching packaging and family-inherited formulas to create a line of body and skincare products.

The bestselling Epicure Blends series includes shower gel, body lotion and hand cream, developed in collaboration with French perfumers. The collection features four fragrances: Basil Sorbet, Wild Peach, Rose Cream Cake and Dark Tea.

Basil Sorbet is Kim Ji-su's personal favorite. Made from crushed basil leaves, fresh figs and sweet syrup, it features dark berry notes with a subtle spiciness, offering a green and fruity scent perfect for those who enjoy a light fragrance.

Wild Peach is the most talked-about scent. It combines the sweet aroma of wild peaches with the natural freshness of French vanilla leaves, evoking the sensation of biting into a sun-kissed peach – sweet yet refreshing.

Rose Cream Cake blends rose with Peruvian pink pepper, balancing fresh floral notes with a subtle spice, enriched by hazelnut undertones, and finishing with warm amber wood, resulting in a layered, full-bodied fragrance.

Dark Tea is a unisex scent, suitable for men as well. It combines vetiver, guaiac wood, and dried black tea, accented with cardamom and earthy patchouli, creating a calm, elegant aroma – the most serene of the four fragrances.

Please note:

If you go to the store now, the hand cream needs to be dispatched from the warehouse, so you probably won't be able to get it on the spot. The staff will arrange for it to be shipped to you from the warehouse at no extra cost.

As for the Wild Peach body lotion and hand cream, they may already be sold out. You can ask the staff to keep an eye on it for you and notify you when it's back in stock – it's incredibly popular, after all.

If you go...

Address: 106-1, Bldg 10, 535 Jinqiao Rd ,EKA Tianwu

金桥路535号EKA天物10幢106-1

Meraki Coffee (小狐獴)

The Australian coffee brand "Meraki Coffee" has opened its first Shanghai location on Wukang Road, launching on the first floor of Harmay store.

Originating in Sydney, Meraki Coffee has a 17-year history. Since 2008, it gained popularity for its classic Australian coffee style and the cute meerkat logo. The founder chose the meerkat for its "adorable, independent, relaxed and slightly clumsy" charm – something that makes people smile.

Meraki Coffee first went viral in Shanghai during the 2023 Lujiazui Coffee Festival, gaining a large following.

The store's interior features a black-and-white minimalist yet playful design. Beyond coffee, it offers a wide range of irresistibly cute limited-edition merchandise, including T-shirts, canvas bags, and bucket hats. The online store also sells umbrellas and handmade ceramic cups, often selling out quickly.

Meerkats are native to Africa's deserts and grasslands. If you've seen Disney's The Lion King, Timon is a meerkat! The meerkats at Meraki Coffee are not permanent residents; the store occasionally invites "meerkat parents" in Shanghai to interact with visitors, creating surprise experiences.

If you go...

Address: 55 Wukang Rd

武康路55号

Uno Casa

Shanghai's menswear fashion, grooming, and lifestyle scene is finally receiving the attention it merits. Beyond the steady rise of mono-brand boutiques appearing across the city's trendiest districts, a more immersive format has emerged: a carefully curated exhibition described as "an all-encompassing, fluid and vibrant sensory experience."

Presented under the banner of Uno casa, the exhibition brings together award-winning Men's Grooming Products and the Annual 101 Creative and Fun Objects. Both selections are awarded by men-focused fashion magazine Men's Uno, in collaboration with lifestyle-curating multi-brand showroom SEPTIÈME.

"Traditional print features, like those in VOGUE, often communicate little beyond pre-approved lines," said Alex Li, senior fashion & lifestyle editor at Men's Uno. "Here, we want to give our readers and curious passersby, the opportunity to truly see, feel, and experience the most loved products first-hand."

Located on the ever-popular Wukang Road, SEPTIÈME is discreetly hidden behind a dark metal door. Upon entry, visitors are greeted by a serene, garden-like space that immediately sets the tone for the exhibition. To the right, a make-your-own beaded bracelet workshop highlights traditional craftsmanship, while to the left, a compact photo area leads into another hands-on workshop where visitors can create their own palo santo compositions.

Beyond these interactive elements, the exhibition itself forms the core of the experience. Featuring 20 awards across beauty categories and 18 annually trending lifestyle items, Uno Casa spotlights the diverse choices available to modern men pursuing both aesthetic refinement and spiritual enrichment.

Kiramekino Mirai (煌面屋)

The Japanese ramen brand Kiramekino Mirai, part of Yoshinoya Holdings, has opened its first store in China, located in Shanghai.

The interior features a bright blue theme paired with wooden tables and chairs. The space is modest, mostly single and four-person tables, presenting a minimalist Japanese style with over 20 seats.

The menu features chicken paitan ramen, Kyoto-style dry ramen, and a variety of snacks and drinks. The signature ramen dishes are priced at 39 yuan and 40 yuan, respectively – reportedly more reasonable than in Japan.

Additional items include Japanese chashu, fried chicken pieces, fried pork cutlets, conch and fried oysters.

Yoshinoya's story began in 1899 in Tokyo's Nihonbashi fish market with a single beef bowl. Over a century of growth has made Yoshinoya a global standard in Japanese fast food, now operating over 3,000 stores across Japan, the US, Southeast Asia, and beyond.

If you go...

Address: B1, Henderson Metropolitan, 300 Nanjing Rd E.

南京东路300号恒基名人购物中心B1层