Dali Garment Shopping Area

Mengjia Dali Garmet Shopping Area (艋舺大理服飾商圈) 

Directions: Take the MRT to Longshan Station and leave from Exit 2 to reach the shopping area.

This area is considered to be the pioneer in the garment wholesale market, with at least 40 years of history to date. The area’s popularity rose in the 1950s because of the area’s accessibility by the Wanhua Train Station (萬華車站). Initially it developed because many locals seeked jobs in this area and retail outlets operated along the street or in the markets. 

As a result, many garment processing factories also moved to this area, changing the retailing haven to a famous wholesale market in the 1960s. After 1988, there were over 2,000 companies and their developments expanded to surrounding cities and towns. There were also over 100,000 employees. However after 1990, many of the garment factories decided to move to Mainland China because of the lower cost of production and seemingly lustrous consumer market. Coupled with the introduction of the Municipal Rapid Transit (MRT i.e. 捷運) which had changed the common traffic route practiced by locals, business was badly affected. 

Today, there are only about 500 stores in Mengjia Garment Shopping Area that sells clothes mainly targeting the middle-aged to the old. In addition, the popularity it used to enjoy among the youths has diminished as the younger generation now visit places like Ximending (西門町) or Wufenpu (五分埔) for the latest fashion.

Entrance of the garment area

Photo source: http://travel2tp.pixnet.net/blog/post/32090624-萬華服飾街-大理街