TIANJIN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- When fresh food chain Freshippo opened its first store in north China's Tianjin Municipality, long queues formed at the entrance as shoppers pushed their carts inside. Customers could be seen lingering at the seafood, bakery and cooked food counters, pausing to capture photos to share online.

Tianjin resident Zhou Yun was impressed by both the taste and design of Freshippo's new desserts, she told Xinhua. Holding her chosen box of sweets, she said that the store's setting had made shopping a truly enjoyable experience.

The new Freshippo store features fresh seafood counters and an in-store bakery to enhance its "shop-and-dine" experience, and it has rolled out a number of exclusive "debut" products, bringing novelty and convenience to consumers.

In recent years, Tianjin has fully utilized the "debut economy" as a key lever to enhance consumption, bringing together more premium brands and new business formats.

Some debut stores -- a brand's first presence in a city or region, including everything from global or national firsts to new concept stores -- have become instant hits, quickly turning into city landmarks and social media hotspots.

At the local Tianjin MixC commercial complex, the recent opening of DJI & Hasselblad's first store in the city attracted a flood of tech enthusiasts. "I came all the way from Hebei just to try the latest drone, and finally got the chance today," customer Wang Nan told Xinhua. The store's immersive experience zone was packed with young visitors trying out DJI's latest drones.

"We want consumers to feel the blend of technology and art during their experience," a regional market executive for DJI said. The concept store emphasizes scene-based design and interactivity, acting as a display space and an inspiration hub for photography lovers, drone users and creative communities.

In addition to debut stores, Tianjin is also promoting debut scenarios. The Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts Art Block integrates art exhibitions with debut stores, creating a space where shopping, culture and leisure intersect. Shoppers strolling through the block come across large-scale art installations, experiencing unique art woven into daily life.

"The debut economy has evolved from simple product debuts into a comprehensive lifestyle consumption model covering shopping, dining, culture, tourism and technology," said Cheng Wen, a researcher at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences. "It not only meets personalized demand, but is also a key driver of urban consumption upgrading."

In the first half of 2025, Tianjin welcomed 290 new debut stores.

Tianjin is refining its support measures, establishing an evaluation system and rolling out a series of product debut events, according to Wang Yagang, deputy director of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce. "We are cultivating landmark debut clusters to better meet diverse, high-quality consumer demand."

"The debut economy is not just a business innovation, but a reflection of urban competitiveness," Cheng said, adding that integrating innovation, industrial and policy chains by developing the debut economy can open up new growth pathways and engines. ■