The capital's pre-eminent local magazine, the Beijinger, ran a poignant story last week about the end of a retail era in the Beijing Yashow market, one of the great locations for tracking down brand-name goods that may or may not be related to the real brands we know or love.

After 12 years, Yashow closed on December 31st with a rash of special offers on synthetic silk qipao-style bathrobes, truly dodgy Prada purses, Dolce & Gabbana coats with Burberry lining, and other intellectual property transgressions on a grand scale.

These days, most young Chinese don't want fake brands and prefer buying the real thing. So the market for fake goods in places like Yashow, as well as Silk Alley and the Pearl Market, is diminishing.

The Yashow market is located in the Sanlitun area, right beside the incredibly successful Village shopping mall, home to the Apple Store, Japanese clothes chain Uniqlo, Pizza Express and other upscale brands.

It was only a matter of time before Yashow had to bow to the demands of real estate, and changing consumption patterns. Still, the owners say it will be back in April – more synthetically glamorous than ever.