Check out the world’s ‘most inconvenient’ convenience store in China
By Carl Samson
November 3, 2023
A small wooden shop perched on the side of a towering cliff in southern China has unofficially earned the title of the world’s “most inconvenient” convenience store.
Where it is: The store, which hangs 120 meters (393 feet) above the ground, is attached on one of the cliffs at Shiniuzhai National Geological Park, a popular tourist spot in Hunan province. It opened in April 2018 with a goal of providing refreshments for climbers, who generally take an hour and a half to reach the top.
What’s for sale: The 2-square meter (21.5-square feet) business sells drinks and snacks, with potato chips reportedly being the more popular ones. It is also worth noting that the items’ costs are not inflated — a bottle of water, for instance, is capped at 2 yuan ($0.30), and climbers even get one for free.
The store opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. A staff member stays inside when there are plenty of climbers; otherwise, buyers scan a QR code to pay for their purchases.
How items are delivered: Goods are delivered to the store daily. Thankfully, its staff are experienced climbers themselves, diligently restocking shelves before every dawn.
“Every new employee is quite scared of doing this at the beginning, but they immediately get used to it,” a staff member told CCTV. “The only issue is having to use the toilet. It’s exhausting to climb back down and up again, so we try not to drink too much water.”
What people are saying: Due to its difficult location, Chinese social media users have dubbed the business the “most inconvenient” convenience store. They praised its staff’s dedication in their daily operations, which undoubtedly require fitness and commitment.
“It’s amazing that their prices are the same as those on the ground. This deserves praise,” one Weibo user wrote.
Another user commented, “It must be hard to stay in the store every day, and it’s dangerous. The manager works hard.”
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