Yuanling Commercial Street - Shoe Street Introduction
Walking near the intersection of Yuanling Street and Taipei Main Station, you can see a huge installation art piece of a black leather shoe; this street is known as Shoe Street. The area surrounded by Zhonghua Road, Zhongxiao West Road, South Zhongshan Road, and West Aiguo Road was the Taipei City of the Qing Dynasty and has always been the center of Taiwan's politics, economy, and culture. Although the city walls are no longer present, people still refer to this area as the "City Center." Yuanling Shopping Street is located "within the city," and historically, it has been a vibrant hub of literature and culture, rich in historical and cultural resources. Many of the shops here are long-established businesses that uphold integrity in commerce. With the development of Taiwan's economy, the city center market and Yuanling Shopping Street have become a gathering place for clothing and shoe stores, with Yuanling Shopping Street being especially renowned for its shoe shops. The leather shoes found on Yuanling Shopping Street are often masterpieces hand-stitched by skilled artisans, and many older generations still bring their worn shoes here for repair. Despite the loss of many customers due to social progress and the rise of department stores, the emphasis on unique character and high-quality goods keeps the business district lively and bustling.
