Editor's Note: The questions of "I" are the inquiries of our era. From a small shop filled with bustling activity to an electric vehicle "Made in Sichuan"; from an innovative drug awaiting market approval to a pursuit of higher-value agricultural produce... every small, individual question points towards the grand themes of macro-policy implementation, industrial transformation and upgrading, and the realization of a better life. In the inaugural year of the "16th Five-Year Plan" period, the hopes and expectations of millions of "I"s for the future are converging into the pulse of Sichuan's confident strides forward. Focusing on the questions of the "small self" to explore the journey of the "major province." Starting today, Sichuan Daily's integrated media platform launches the "Opening Chapter: I Ask" series, adopting the specific, micro perspectives of individuals to listen to the most genuine public concerns and developmental aspirations. Through questions seeking answers, seeing the large from the small, we jointly decode Sichuan's developmental momentum and action paths on its new journey.
"Stimulating consumption is a very hot topic right now, and for me, it's an opportunity. However, consumers are becoming increasingly 'picky,' and industry competition is intensifying. It's not enough to just have novelty and creativity; we also need to employ various fancy marketing techniques. For small shops like ours, our influence and promotional methods are limited. How can we attract more customer traffic and make our business better?" — Jiang Yun, Partner, Tang Curry, a small餐饮 shop in Chengdu's Dongjiao Memory.
Even the "top performers" among small shops have their share of worries. At 11 AM on January 6th, on the food street of Chengdu's Dongjiao Memory, the small餐饮 shop "Tang Curry" was already prepared for the lunch rush, waiting only for customers to arrive. Having been open for over two years, this shop benefits from the high foot traffic brought by Dongjiao Memory and does decent business, but partner Jiang Yun feels considerable pressure. "There are so many great food shops on this street; the competition is fierce, and I increasingly feel my methods are insufficient," he said. Around noon, with ingredients prepped and ready, Tang Curry awaited its patrons.
At the same time, on Jixiang Street, another area dense with餐饮 outlets, "Chunyang Guan," which has been operating for 22 years, was already bustling. Its 20-plus small tables were fully occupied, with additional customers waiting on the street to order. All 16 staff members were fully engaged in service, a scene that repeats daily. Popular items include the 11-yuan portion of Jiaoxiang Beef Noodles, 13-yuan portion of Yuxiang Sparerib Noodles, and 11-yuan bowls of Red Oil Wontons with Mushrooms, as staff frequently informed entering customers. Regarding sales volume, owner Ma Jun offered an abstract figure: they sell 60 jin (approximately 30 kilograms) of wonton wrappers per day. A rough calculation suggests this translates to about 500 bowls of wontons sold daily, with many customers making special trips to Chunyang Guan just for a bowl of noodles.
On Kuixinglou Street, directly behind Chunyang Guan, the "Nian Qian Yi Xiao" Spicy Braised Huangniu (Yellow Cattle) Skewer shop also enjoyed a steady stream of customers. As one of the few shops on the entire street that has persisted for over a decade, "Nian Qian Yi Xiao" occupies just over a hundred square meters. Yet, during peak times, it employed over 40 servers and achieved monthly revenues reaching into the millions of yuan. At 4 PM, outside typical meal hours, customers still trickled in—both regulars from the surrounding neighborhood and younger consumers who came specifically by taxi. "For small餐饮 shops like ours, it all depends on flavor, along with reliable ingredients and affordable prices. Once these are guaranteed, customers trust you and will think of coming back for a bite," explained manager Li Yuanqiao, noting that the price of 0.6 yuan per skewer for both meat and vegetable skewers has remained unchanged for over ten years.
Despite being standout examples among small shops, they share similar concerns. The owners of "Chunyang Guan" and "Nian Qian Yi Xiao" revealed that their 2025 sales saw an overall decline compared to the previous year, and with rising costs, profit margins were further squeezed. Beneath the surface prosperity, underlying worries are growing heavier. "Xia Xiaowan" Prawn Noodle Soup, located on Yulin West Road, has seen steadily rising revenues since opening in June last year. This shop, specializing in Taiwanese flavors within its 60-square-meter space, has achieved consecutive monthly sales growth exceeding 10%. However, after six months of operation, proprietor Zhang Shide gradually realized that in today's attention economy, capital favors big IPs, and consumers are more easily attracted by brands with gimmicks. In the fiercely competitive market, how can the multitude of small shops lacking means, capital, and technology accurately boost their visibility?
In an consumption era increasingly focused on quality-to-price ratio, even a shop with excellent-tasting food can easily be eliminated without effective dissemination methods, stable supply channels, or refined management capabilities. "In the past, they said 'good wine needs no bush,' but now you must stand at the forefront and keep up with the changing times," lamented proprietor Zhang Shide. Small as they are, these shops hold significant energy. As the most vibrant units of a city's lively atmosphere, the "worries" of small shops cannot be ignored. On Kuixinglou Street in central Chengdu, small shops brimming with character line the avenue.
In the age of流量, how can small shops secure a firmer foothold? These four distinctly different small餐饮 shops represent the vast community of similar establishments found throughout Sichuan's streets and alleys, serving as concrete embodiments of a city's vibrant atmosphere. Although they enjoy good popularity and sales, they are all pondering the same question: in 2026, how can their small shop businesses become better? Recently, an event connected these four otherwise unrelated shops: they were all included in the Tianfu Vibrant Small Shop Enhancement Plan, spearheaded by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce.
Within 2026, the plan aims to cumulatively empower 1,000 small shops to enhance their supply quality. It emphasizes using platforms as a driving force, coordinating resources from social institutions, administrative departments, and other parties to provide small shops with support for digital upgrades, operational training, financial便利, job stability, and promotional exposure, focusing on improving service quality, enhancing形象, building brands, and promoting green development. Recently, several leading e-commerce platforms have taken action. Some have created online sections dedicated to checking out vibrant small shops, offering consumers automatic discount incentives, while others are providing free online promotion for the pilot shops.
Meituan is one of the e-commerce platforms participating in the plan. Currently, it has established a "Local Flavors" special support fund, offering up to 50,000 yuan in support per shop. Bai Yaohan, Meituan's Public Affairs Manager for Sichuan, explained that the platform will provide operational guidance and digital tools to merchants wanting to join the platform for digital empowerment. Additionally, addressing the pain point of low customer traffic, the platform integrates resources from dine-in餐饮, delivery, and public review services, attracting consumers to visit small shops through a combination of online dedicated zones and offline街区 activities.
"Combining government policy support with the platform's connectivity allows small shops to gain greater promotional exposure and improves their online operations. Most crucially, digital transformation pushes shops to implement open-kitchen policies, compelling the establishment of more stable and safe supply chains, thereby further enhancing operational quality and achieving upgrades," Bai Yaohan said. According to the plan, by the end of 2027, Sichuan will have cultivated and enhanced no fewer than 2,000 Tianfu vibrant small shops characterized by brand形象, management systems, hygienic environments, distinctive taste, warm service, and safety assurances.
While policy support provides推力, the key effort ultimately lies with the shops themselves. The new year's plans for these small shops are already taking shape: Jiang Yun's "Tang Curry" intends to develop more new flavors and utilize multiple platforms to package the shop as a网红打卡点. Ma Jun's "Chunyang Guan" is considering upgrading electrical wiring and installing air conditioning to improve dining comfort and enhance the customer experience. Li Yuanqiao's "Nian Qian Yi Xiao," while holding fast to its founding初心 of offering "affordable delicacies," plans to add hair clips,婴儿 chairs, and soft-leather chairs for more人性化服务, and also leverage platform流量 to develop more popular set menus. Zhang Shide's "Xia Xiaowan" hopes to learn new marketing技巧 on the platforms, combining them with creative ideas to打造更多爆款 products, preparing for the launch of a next branch.
Vibrant small shops are the "capillaries" of the real economy. They are basic units for urban and rural residents' livelihoods, the "nerve endings" serving millions of households, and a vital component of the private economy. "Can my business do better? How can it do better?" On their respective new paths, every vibrant small shop is exploring its own answer.
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