Former post offices that once handled mail and packages have become trendy study tour destinations, while art galleries that young people now frequent were once noisy cement factories. Today, an increasing number of "old spaces" are transforming into new consumption venues. How exactly are they adapting to trends and becoming popular hotspots?
A fascinating phenomenon has emerged recently – many places once considered "outdated" are quietly becoming "new landmarks" that young people eagerly visit. Behind this trend lies more than simple renovation; it represents a dynamic practice involving consumption, culture, and urban renewal.
Take post offices, for example. In Qingdao, an old post office that sat vacant for four years suddenly became popular during the 2025 summer season. It was transformed into a "Marine Research Themed Post Office," and stepping inside feels like diving into an underwater world. The spiral staircase walls display marine life from different depths, offering VR deep-sea experiences, stamp explanations, and hands-on postcard making. Children can even write letters to their future selves. Throughout the summer, visitor numbers exceeded 100,000, with cultural and creative products generating over 10,000 yuan in daily sales.
Similarly, in Chengdu, the "Panda Post Office" attracts large numbers of tourists through AI-customized refrigerator magnets and folk activities, achieving annual revenue exceeding 10 million yuan. By the end of 2024, 838 themed post offices nationwide generated total revenue of 355 million yuan. Old postal services are no longer simple mailing venues but have evolved into "youth-oriented spaces" that integrate cultural IP and interactive experiences.
Beyond post offices, old factory districts are also undergoing "magnificent transformations." The "D19 Street District" in Baoding, Hebei Province, formerly a village enterprise cluster, has become a trendy gathering place. Old factory buildings have been converted into basketball courts, hosting over 1,700 events. Walls feature creative graffiti, surrounded by trendy toys, food, and esports venues. During summer vacation, daily visitor flow reached 5,000 people, with shop sales increasing by 30%.
This success stems from the government's "space investment promotion" approach – unified facade planning with all content left to market forces. Through over 5,000 questionnaires, they identified "sports + trendy play + food" as core business formats, even visiting universities to gather opinions. Now, young people are coming, events are happening, and consumption is being driven. Since 2025, sports events alone in Baoding have driven approximately 2.7 billion yuan in direct consumption.
Such cases are found nationwide. Shanghai's old cement factory became the "West Bund Dream Center," with waste storage areas transformed into exhibition spaces. Changsha's old oil refinery has gathered coffee shops and art spaces, attracting young people to settle there. Calculations show that commercial projects following urban renewal and transformation drive consumption growth exceeding 50% on average, while significantly boosting employment.
This renaissance of old spaces involves not just physical renovation but the reshaping of function, culture, and emotion. It transforms consumption from mere buying and selling into a process of gaining experiences and enhancing happiness. This aligns with national policy directions for "innovative consumption scenarios," using culture to empower spaces, scenarios to drive consumption, and renewal to revitalize cities.