Convenience store in China's Shiniuzhai Geological Park (Weibo)
The world is full of marvels of modern convenience, but this shop has got thrill-seekers questioning the very definition of “convenient.” In the heart of China’s Shiniuzhai National Geological Park, perched some 394 feet above terra firma, stands a little wooden shed that has been aptly dubbed the “most inconvenient convenience store.”
This charming, cliff-hanging boutique of treats is the brainchild of people who believe that shopping should come with a side of adrenaline rush. If you’re scaling the heights of Shiniuzhai’s perilous peaks, in the distance, you’ll spot a tiny wooden shack clinging to the cliff like a barnacle to a ship. It’s the perfect place to grab a snack, assuming you’re feeling extra adventurous on this already death-defying journey.
It’s the logistics that are also fascinating here. It’s not like the shop owners just go on a hike whenever they need to restock. Oh no, they’ve got a flair for the dramatic. Workers employ ziplines to shuttle supplies up to this vertigo-inducing oasis daily. Just your average 394-foot-high grocery run, right?
Inside this heart-pounding emporium, there’s only one lonely staff member at any given time. You can practically hear the elevator music playing as they wait for customers. Shiniuzhai Park’s general manager, Song Huizhou, revealed that the journey up to the store takes about 90 minutes. And when you arrive, they’ve got a complimentary bottle of water to quench your thirst, probably because they’re afraid you might be parched from screaming on the way up.
Of course, this store has received mixed reviews. Some brave souls found it to be an exhilarating addition to their climbing experience, saying it elevated the concept of “shopping with a view” to a whole new level. Others, well, let’s just say they’d prefer to shop somewhere less likely to make their heart do a cliffhanger. One intrepid blogger on Chinese social network Weibo called it “the most inconvenient convenience store” in the country. You know you’ve achieved something special when you’re the talk of the town for making shopping downright inconvenient.
But in the grand scheme of things, this store isn’t the only attention-grabber in Shiniuzhai. The park is also home to the world’s longest glass suspension bridge, Haohan Qiao, which opened in 2015. Suspended high above a gaping chasm, it’s the perfect spot for those who found the cliffside convenience store too pedestrian and thought that “Brave Men’s Bridge” is the way to go – just don’t expect to find a store on it to grab snacks!
