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First Caucasian-Owned Shop Opens in the New Hongqiao Tianya Pearl Market

It’s not unusual to see foreigners shopping and buying merchandise by the bagful in the Hongqiao Pearl Market near the Temple of Heaven. However, customers of all nationalities are doing double takes when on the other side of the counter is a slender woman with brown hair and green eyes speaking to them in fluent English and equally smooth Mandarin in this popular Beijing shopping centre. 

Jennifer A. McClellend is an American who has studied and worked in China for several years.  When what started as a response to a marketing position turned into an opportunity to run her own jewellery business in the newly constructed Tianya Mall behind the famous Hongqiao Market, Jennifer seized the divine moment and plunged into her first Chinese retail business venture: a store carrying her namesake—J.A. McClellend of Idaho. In a similar first for the mall, Jennifer is the only non-Chinese business owner in the marketplace.

She Loves Buying and Selling

The gutsy move to do business in one of the most competitive markets in Beijing came with some years of preparation. Jennifer recalls that even at 4 or 5, she would line up her Whoppers (malt-chocolate candy balls) in rows and try to sell them to her parents and brother as they passed by her room. Growing up in the Midwest state of Idaho, she knows how to drive a tractor, and she helped out on the family farm where they grew and sold peppermint and onions. Knowing her neighbours and the farmers would be thirsty on summer days, Jennifer, the young entrepreneur built a lemonade stand on the side. Jennifer credits her mom and dad and is thankful for her wholesome upbringing. Her parents instilled in her, at a very young age, a strong sense of hard work, how much things cost and the value of money. She knows the only way to learn about doing business is to just do it. 

Unconventional Road to China

Jennifer’s path to China was indirect, zigzagged and not part of the original plan. While in college, Jennifer had a strong desire to study Japanese in Japan. But that programme was full and the coordinator at University of Idaho suggested that Jennifer try going to Korea for a semester instead. “These are two different languages!” Still, Jennifer responded to his advisement.  But the visionary advisor encouraged Jennifer to be open to seemingly unrelated open doors, for who knew what she might discover. Right before the Korea programme ended, the advisor wrote to say the Hong Kong programme was open. Since Jennifer was in Asia already, why not just continue her overseas journey? Jennifer complied and studied in Hong Kong at the historical time of 1997. After this, she moved to Chengdu, Sichuan Province. She spent the entire school year—her final college year—in China. 

Longed to Return to China after College

After college, Jennifer worked for retail giant Wal-Mart and for the State of Idaho Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Because she could speak Chinese and some Korean, she travelled to China for business often. Her department’s role was to help Idaho businesses with business logistics and international trade issues. She was fascinated by the work, but was always envious of the people already doing business in China. Having witnessed first-hand the difficulties of customs inspections, delays, red tape, and governmental restrictions and limitations, Jennifer yearned to be in the position of those business people she was helping. Jennifer returned to China in 2005. She brushed up on her Chinese at Fudan University in Shanghai, then quickly transitioned to Beijing where she had several business contacts. She has lived in Beijing ever since.

Looking and Operating Differently

Jennifer has big dreams and simple goals for her business. Being different from other store owners and vendors requires her to operate differently as well. She wants to be known not just for her physical appearance, but more for service, value and offering a positive shopping experience. She wants her business to be a source of style for tourists and local residents alike. Jennifer has fashion resources and offers jewellery-making workshops. She also plans to have social events held at the store for customers to meet new friends and to learn how to choose and accessorize. Some very specific things she wants to do that may be different from her Chinese counterparts are: 

*     Getting great value and bargains, but no bargaining: “I know how tiring and time consuming and intimidating that can be for some westerners.” 

*     Friendly and non-pressured shopping: “I like to look at pretty jewellery without feeling like I have to buy it just because I showed some interest. Customers can look all they want and sit on the many chairs I’ve provided for tired shopping legs.” 

*     Being a trusted and helpful resource:“Maybe it’s the farm upbringing, and I guess I am the girl next door. I really like helping people find what they want, even if I don’t have it.”

In this bold move, Jennifer admits having gone through an intense orientation to doing business in China. She tells of the many negotiations, the changes and thing that resist change…“I guess, pretty much like doing business anywhere else.”

Tianya is a new mall and is challenged by a saturated Beijing marketplace and low foot-traffic. Nonetheless, optimistic and tenacious, Jennifer is not perplexed. She loves coming to work each day and persistently looks for ways to make her store better and to bring customers in. “Doing business in China! It’s hard work, but it’s thrilling! This is the job I’ve always wanted, but didn’t know existed,” she said.