Recently, netizen "Beipiao Talk Duoduo" released a video, saying that he encountered obstacles in applying for the withdrawal of a store in a shopping mall in Tianjin, "We are not applying for the withdrawal of the store, the process is not to be returned, the deposit is not refunded, the investment manager has changed, and now nothing can be contacted......", and also said that he has docked many shopping malls, this time it is really infuriating, sighing "routines one after another" and "why is the business environment so ......"
The video sparked heated discussions on several short video platforms. Jinyun News reporter followed up the investigation for the first time and found that the "story" behind it was that Jinnan Wuyue Plaza often closed down the Nakajima store due to fire reasons, and the shopkeeper was unbearable and wanted to withdraw the store, but the mall did not respond positively, and the shopkeeper could not get back the corresponding deposit, rent, etc. The reporter's further investigation found that there was also a "mystery" behind the store opening contract, and why there were stores with fire problems in the shopping mall, and they were also open to foreign investment, and a series of problems also followed.
A sweet shop that opens and stops
After some twists and turns, the Jinyun News reporter contacted the netizen in the video, "Beipiao Talks a lot" Han Xiaogang (pseudonym).
It turned out that Han Xiaogang's family lived in Xianshuigu, Jinnan District, and starting in 2021, he opened a dessert shop in Jinnan Wuyue Plaza. The store is located on the fourth floor of the mall and belongs to the Nakajima store type, that is, it is opened in the middle of the mall, which is equivalent to a larger stall. Han Xiaogang applied for a business license, purchased equipment, and handled a health certificate for the clerk, and after everything was ready, the store opened to accept customers.
Jinnan Wuyue Plaza is a popular commercial entity in the area in recent years, and Han Xiaogang's small shop has also gained a large number of "fans" and repeat customers with its quality, and some consumers have hundreds of yuan for a single recharge. But what makes Han Xiaogang depressed is that in the past three years, the operation of the store has not been smooth sailing, in the first two years, there have been several times by the shopping mall to suspend business, standby, the closure time ranges from a week to several weeks, and the reason is basically unqualified fire protection. The time came to mid-February 2024, the ninth day of the first lunar month, and the mall management once again notified Han Xiaogang to close down and wait for the next notice, the reason was still "unqualified fire inspection".
Because he couldn't operate and had no income, Han Xiaogang's life was in trouble, so he considered withdrawing the store. However, in the past two months, his communication with the mall has not been smooth, or he has not been able to contact the investment manager, resulting in the deposit cannot be refunded, the rent during the closure period cannot be refunded, and there is no recourse for various losses such as materials caused by the closure.
What puzzled Han Xiaogang was that when the store opened, he went through the business license and various procedures normally, and he didn't know why there were a series of problems behind. "In terms of firefighting, we must comply with the regulations. But I think it's okay, the shopping mall is to grasp the specific situation, fire protection qualified, at the beginning we as a small business can't figure it out, they rent us to sign a contract, but from time to time let the business close, this no one can do it. The reporter learned that there were many other merchants who had the same experience as Han Xiaogang.
The "mystery" behind the contract
Just as Han Xiaogang was puzzled, why did a large-scale brand commercial complex repeatedly suspend its shops and merchants due to fire prevention reasons, resulting in a "guerrilla" that should have been a normal business activity? Jinyun News reporters found out after an in-depth investigation that there was a different kind of "mystery" behind the incident.
A merchant who was also "suspended" with Han Xiaogang showed the reporter the electronic contract signed with the shopping mall, which showed that the contract signed by both parties was not a general commercial building or store lease contract, but a "display and exhibition service contract", with the booth area number 40X, and indicated the booth area area, contract period and other information.
The name of the contract is "exhibition services", and most of the merchants were engaged in the processing and sale of desserts, beverages, lo-mei and other categories before the closure of business, which is no different from the opening of ordinary stores. Obviously, there is a big difference between the business content and the "exhibition service" marked in the contract.
The reporter visited the commercial body and found that these "stores" in the nature of Nakajima stores are currently "empty", and some stores only have empty counters. Most of these shops are located in aisles, corridors, corners, etc., and most of them occupy space for pedestrians. Judging from the style of the equipment and booths such as the counters retained on the site, they are very different from the main stores of the mall, showing obvious characteristics of being added later, that is, these stores may not have been included in the original planning and design of the commercial complex.
Article 27 of the "Rules for the Management of Fire Safety of Large Commercial Complexes (Trial)" promulgated by the National Fire and Rescue Administration clearly stipulates that the counters and shelves in the business hall of large commercial complexes shall be reasonably arranged, and the counters and shelves shall not occupy the designed evacuation width of the evacuation channel or block the evacuation route. The reporter found at the scene that some of the Nakajima stores were located at the corner of the corridor, while some of the shops happened to be located in the middle aisle, which also took up a considerable part of the width.
Han Xiaogang told reporters that when he chose the site to open the store, he saw the shopping mall for leasing and thought that all aspects were compliant, and now it seems that there is indeed a fire hazard, which is why he firmly wants to withdraw the store after understanding the relevant regulations, but in reality it is not so smooth.
Fans are very heartwarming
Considering the small business, Han Xiaogang could not bear the loss of repeated closures, and he hoped to withdraw the store and end the contract, but the process of negotiating with the mall made him feel helpless.
He hopes to return the deposit of more than 20,000 yuan and the corresponding venue rent during the suspension period (rent of nearly 10,000 yuan per month), and hopes that the mall will bear the loss of materials and other losses caused by the closure. However, the investment promotion staff of the shopping mall did not respond positively to the withdrawal of the store, and later changed the investment manager, and it was often "missing". "The remaining term of my contract is small, and some merchants still have more than half a year. My request is for a refund of the deposit and the rent for the period of closure, which is reasonable. But not long ago, I changed the investment manager, and then I couldn't find anyone directly, and I completely disappeared. Han Xiaogang said.
Han Xiaogang, a native of Handan, Hebei Province, came to Tianjin to live in 2021, and during the operation of the dessert shop, he cultivated a large number of repeat customers. Because of the closure at the beginning of this year, there are still more than 50 customers whose recharge cards have not been consumed, and the balance is hundreds of yuan, and the balance is dozens of yuan. In the past few days, he has contacted customers one by one and returned the stored value balance through WeChat transfer. What touched him was that some consumers did not want to return the money, but hoped that he could resume business or change stores to continue to operate, even if he did WeChat group buying, he also wanted to continue to buy his desserts.
"Although we have encountered this incident, we also have to be honest, and I will return everything that should be returned to the customer. Han Xiaogang said.
During the on-site visit, a nearby merchant told reporters that he used to like to eat Han Xiaogang's desserts, but it has not been open recently.
Whether these island-style stores were not planned and designed at the beginning of the construction of the shopping mall? Can the relevant expenses be refunded to the merchants after the closure of business? For this series of problems, the reporter contacted the relevant departments of Jinnan Wuyue Plaza, and the relevant person in charge of the customer experience department of the shopping mall said that the company is actively communicating and resolving the dispute with the merchants, "may be due to the incomplete information provided by the merchants, and some want to end the contract in advance, and it is difficult to make adjustments at present" He also said that now the problem involves fire protection, and there may be no problem with the contract itself, so it must be implemented in accordance with the contract.
If it does involve fire protection issues, then why are shopping malls still openly renting to the public? Why are the counters and other equipment of those stores still kept in place? Jinyun News will continue to pay attention to these problems and how the problems of merchants such as Han Xiaogang will be solved in the end.