如果不是為了去「拓意 XCARTOYS 北京首店」逛逛，我想應該不會十多年後再踏王府井大街。

上次去王府井已經是交流團的事情，隨後來北京根本不會想到來王府井這個地方。「拓意 XCARTOYS 北京首店」座落的北京王府井銀泰in88除正門巨型的華為旗艦店外，還有Gundam Base以及LEGO北京旗艦店，加上有一系列潮玩店舖，拓意在此插旗亦不無道理。

旗艦店佔地132平米(約1,300多平方呎)，醒目的橙色門眉下是一部上海SH760A轎車，驟眼睇格局與4月中國國際模型博覽會同出一轍，但規模更大。門口是重點新車，如門店限定品「拓意小車收藏書 in88」、「Y-SET1 一代人記憶中的汽車」、即將推出的北京BJ-130冬儲白菜運輸車等，玻璃展櫃將大部份車款都展示出來，見到真車購買意慾或許更高。然而，拓意以小車為主，為何一邊店面的陳列櫃卻是1:18的大車？只因拓意與「auto 九局下半-張效銘老師」合作打造一幅汽車文化模型牆，展出500多台國內外各汽車品牌的原廠模型車。本地薑POP RACE亦佔一席位，店內有起碼兩個專櫃展出及售賣POP RACE的新車。

不過既然淘寶、網店都有賣拓意，為何還要門店？限定版肯定是其一，彩盒12部中國經典車型的「Y-SET1 一代人記憶中的汽車」自問太大盒無法帶回香港所以作罷，但人仔199的「拓意小車收藏書 in88」幾大都無走雞，除了專屬的電鍍紅色紅旗CA72模型車外，還有《汽車裏的中國故事》書、毛氈手提袋、拓意小車收藏局紀念郵折及拓意明信片，送禮自用亦可，儘管手提袋有點難收藏。還有產品目錄都是門店限定。

最初以為北京商場收得早食完飯去趕唔切，原來店舖基本都是晚上十時收關門，晚上不論是大街還是附近的食肆仍然是人頭湧湧，又再刷新對京城的印象。拓意進軍線下，未來相信會在店內進行不同活動，賣車真的不可單單賣車。

Xcartoys’ First Store in the Beijing

If it weren’t for visiting the “Xcartoys Beijing Flagship Store,” I probably wouldn’t have set foot on Wangfujing Street again after more than a decade.

The last time I went to Wangfujing was during an exchange program. Since then, I never thought of visiting this area when coming to Beijing. The location of the “Xcartoys Beijing Flagship Store” in the Wangfujing Yintai in88 mall makes sense, given the presence of a massive Huawei flagship store at the main entrance, along with Gundam Base and the LEGO Beijing flagship store, as well as a series of trendy toy shops.

The flagship store covers 132 square meters (about 1,300 square feet). Under the eye-catching orange awning sits a Shanghai SH760A sedan. At first glance, the layout seems similar to that of the China International Model Expo in April, but on a larger scale. The entrance features prominent new cars, such as store-exclusive items like the “Xcartoys Collection Book in88,” “Y-SET1 Cars in the Memory of a Generation,” and the upcoming Beijing BJ-130 winter cabbage transport truck. Glass display cases showcase most of the car models, and seeing them in person might increase the desire to purchase. However, while Xcartoys primarily focuses on small cars, why does one side of the store feature 1:18 scale large cars? This is because Xcartoys has collaborated with “auto ninth inning – Teacher Zhang Xiaoming” to create a car culture model wall, displaying over 500 original model cars from domestic and international automotive brands. The local brand POP RACE also has a presence, with at least two dedicated counters showcasing and selling their new cars.

But if Xcartoys products are available on Taobao and online stores, why have a physical store? Limited editions are certainly one reason. While I passed on the “Y-SET1 Cars in the Memory of a Generation” box set of 12 classic Chinese car models as it was too big to bring back to Hong Kong, I couldn’t resist the “Xcartoys Collection Book in88” priced at 199 yuan. Besides the exclusive electroplated red Hongqi CA72 model car, it includes the book “China Stories in Cars,” a felt tote bag, an Xcartoys collectors’ commemorative stamp folder, and Xcartoys postcards – suitable for gifting or personal use, although the tote bag might be a bit difficult to collect. The product catalog is also a store exclusive.

Initially, I thought I might not make it after dinner, assuming Beijing malls closed early. To my surprise, most shops stay open until 10 PM. In the evening, both the main street and nearby eateries were still bustling with people, refreshing my impression of the capital city. As Xcartoys expands into offline retail, they will likely host various in-store events in the future. Selling cars, after all, involves much more than just selling cars.