As China celebrates an Olympics winning streak that boasts the most Olympic gold medals ever, Silk Street, a famous bazaar once known for fakes, is seeing a boom of its own.
With less than one week left in the Games, athletes, officials and spectators are pouring into the five-floor mall in the east of Beijing.
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A Venezuelan boxing player shops in Xiushui Market (Silk Street market), a popular tourist market in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 16, 2008. Many foreign athletes, coaches and officials from across the world visit the market selling items of Chinese characteristics during the Beijing Olympic Games. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)
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"The last few days have seen the most customers in over three decades, and sales are growing by 10 percent each day," said Wang Zili, general manager of the Silkstreet Co. Ltd.
From Aug. 8-14, more than 300,000 people visited the market, yielding sales of more than 100 million yuan (about 14.6 million U.S. dollars), according to Wang, who added that 80 percent of the customers were from overseas, including government or state heads from 19 countries.
Anne Rogge, wife of Jacques, president of the International Olympic Committee, visited four times to buy jewelry and silk, Wang said.