Starbucks Opens Two Urumqi Flagship Stores Featuring Xinjiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Performances and Local Flavors
Starbucks opened two Urumqi flagships on September 29, one featuring live Xinjiang Twelve Muqam performances and local-flavored drinks available at 2,700+ stores nationwide.
Starbucks (星巴克) opened two flagship stores in Urumqi simultaneously on September 29: the Starbucks International Grand Bazaar Intangible Cultural Heritage Flagship Store (星巴克国际大巴扎非遗旗舰店) and the Tianshan International Airport Store. The openings mark Starbucks' seventh intangible cultural heritage concept store built since 2020.
The Grand Bazaar store centers on a live performance called "Dancing Bazaar" (《起舞的巴扎》), created in collaboration with inheritors of the Xinjiang Twelve Muqam (新疆十二木卡姆) intangible cultural heritage tradition. Performances take place at designated times on a stage that opens behind a decorative curtain wall above the bar counter. The store also carries a Xinjiang-themed beverage, food, and city gift series incorporating local ingredients including pomegranate, baklava, and milk skin. The Tianshan International Airport Store is positioned as a "Silk Road waystation," offering a resting space for travelers passing through Xinjiang.
During the National Day holiday period, the Xinjiang special products are available on a limited-time basis across more than 2,700 Starbucks stores in 41 cities nationwide. The campaign has been documented on Xiaohongshu.
The Grand Bazaar store fits into a broader pattern of Starbucks China using flagship locations as platforms for regional cultural programming — embedding local craft traditions, live performance, and place-specific ingredients into what is otherwise a globally standardised retail format. The nationwide rollout of Xinjiang-sourced flavors during a major holiday window extends that local story to a mass audience.
