·新商业街

        20世纪二三十年代,是天津城市又一个快速发展时期。天津的繁华区进一步扩大、转移,形成了以现今和平路与滨江道交叉路口为中心的新的商业区; 以现解放北路为中心的金融一条街;市区边缘也兴建了不少工厂企业,使市区有所扩展。天津逐渐成为中国北方的经济中心城市。
        天津是水陆码头,早期天津的商业区多分布在估衣街、侯家后和宫南、宫北大街一带,清咸丰十年(1860)天津被迫开埠后,帝国主义在天津设立租界,位于法、英租界交界处的紫竹林的海河西岸,是船舶由海上进入三岔河口的必经之路。对岸是大直沽漕船、商船停泊之地。英、法在这里修建了6处码头,俗称“紫竹林租界码头” 。兴盛了几百年的三岔河口到大直沽一带的直沽漕运枢纽港区,为紫竹林码头所代替。天津港口由封建性的内贸港,沦为殖民地性的开放港; 由传统的中国帆(漕)船运输为主,改为以大型轮船运输为主。
        紫竹林码头距离和平路较近,它对和平路商业的繁荣起了重要作用。专门经营进出口贸易的外国商行(洋行),纷纷向租界迁移。
        1900年的庚子事变,1912年袁世凯制造的“壬子兵变” ,使天津早期商业中心估衣街、侯家后和宫南、宫北大街一带,先后遭到了侵略军和乱兵的洗劫,各大商户和富有人家,开始向日、法租界迁移,工商业者也纷纷向租界地区投资,在旭街和梨栈大街两侧购地建房,发展商业。1928年1月,新型百货商店中原公司(今天津百货大楼),在旭街与福岛街交口处建成,把南市和梨栈的商业区连接贯通起来,形成了当时天津最大的商业中心。到1930年前后,靠近传统商业区的日租界旭街,以及与它成十字交的福岛街(今多伦道),同它毗邻的南市一带,成了灯红酒绿的繁华商业区。
        九一八事变后,日租界不安全感增加,天津商业又开始向法租界梨栈一带集中。20年代后,相继在梨栈大街3个大十字路口,建起了多座高大建筑群。这就是: 天祥市场、泰康市场、劝业场、国民大饭店、交通旅馆、惠中饭店、渤海大楼、浙江兴业银行等,周围的餐饮、娱乐、服务等行业,应运而生。
        高星桥等投资兴建的天津劝业场,是天津最大的综合性商场之一。到20世纪30年代中期,法租界商店多多,已居各租界之首。仅劝业、天祥、泰康3大商场内,就集中了商店600多家。
        天津的对外贸易的发展也进入了快车道。开埠初期,天津从香港进口的货物,占了进口总值的半数左右。第一次世界大战爆发后,天津通过香港进出口值有所下降,直接同外国贸易上升。英商与日美及德商在天津市场上争夺贸易地位,20世纪二三十年代,天津成为中国北方对外贸易的中心。
        天津沦陷时期,日本主宰了天津的对外贸易,占了天津进口额的绝大比重。日本投降后,在国民党的统治下,天津的对外贸易基本上被美国所控制。1946年10月,经天津商检局检验的进口货,总值为1亿多元,面粉由美国、澳洲及加拿大进口,白砂糖由秘鲁进口,赤砂糖由香港运来; 而天津的出口商品,总值共为38亿多元,输往美、英、瑞士、瑞典、比利时等国,豆类及果类则全部输往香港。

        

·梨栈大街

        In 1920s-30s,Tianjin`s economy developed rapidly. Thedowntown of Tianjin was enlarged and was shifted toother places: the shopping centre at the cross of HepingRoad and Binjiang Street,the Financial Street centeredat Jiefangbei Road,and some factories in the suburbs.Tianjin became the economic centre in North China.
        As a harbor city,the earliest Tianjin downtownwas in places like Guyi Road,Houjiahou,Gongnan andGongbei Streets. After Tianjin had been forced to openits ports in 1860,the Imperialism set up concessionsin Tianjin for colonial control and trade. Many harborswere built in Zizhulin along Haihe River. Zizhunlinwas located between French and Britain concessionsand to the west of Majiakou,southeast of Tianjin. Shipsmust go through it to enter the three-fork by the sea.Opposite to it were the harbors for ships. UK and Francebuilt warehouses and 6 harbors here,which were called"Zizhulin Harbor of Concessions". Its transportation,customs,and shipping were all controlled by foreigners.The Zhigucao Harbor from Three-fork River to Dazhigu,although prosperous for hundreds of years,was replacedby Zizhulin Harbor. Tianjin changed from a feudal portto a colonial harbor. The sail boats were replaced bysteamboats. The colonists gained profit by shipping inopium.
        Zizhulin harbor was near Heping Road,whichplayed an important role in the prosperity of the businesson the road. Many foreign trade companies (Yanghang)moved to the concessions.
        After Gengzi Event in 1900 and Renzi Eventin 1912,the early business centers like Guyi Street,Houjiahou,Gongnan Road and Gongbei Road werelooted by foreign invaders or domestic soldiers. Manyhouses were burned and lots of civilians were dead orwounded. The fights among warlords and turbulentpolitics brought great loss to the businessmen. The richfamilies and businessmen moved to Japanese and Frenchconcessions. Many industrialist and traders invested inthe concessions by buying houses and running businessat Xu Street and Lizhan Road. AIn January,1928,a newdepartment store was built at the cross of Xu Street andFudao Road,which joined the business areas of Nanshiand Lizhan. This was the biggest business center inTianjin. round 1930,foreign businesses,department,restaurants,cinemas,theaters,book shops,bathhouse,hotels,dancing halls,opium houses,gambling dens andbrothels accumulated at Xu Street,Fudao Road,andNanshi. A prosperous business area came into being.
        After the 9.18 event,the security of Japaneseconcession was in question. Business in Tianjin beganmoving to French concession. Many high buildingswere constructed at the three crossings of LizhanRoad in 1920s: Tianxiang Market,Taikang Market,Quanyechang,Guomin Hotel,Jiaotong Hotel,HuizhongHotel,Bohai Building,Xingye Bank and manyrestaurants and entertainments. Lizhan Road became thenew prosperous business center.
        Quanyechang,invested by Gao Xingqiao,wasbuilt on December 12,1928. It`s one of the largestdepartment stores in Tianjin. In the middle of 1930s,thenumber of shops in French concession ranked first in allconcessions. Only Quanye,Tianxiang and Kangtai hadmore than 600 shops.
        Tianjin`s foreign trade also developed fast. In thefirst few years since Tianjin opened its ports,half of thecommodities imported were from Hong Kong. After thebroke out of the First World War,Tianjin started to tradedirectly with foreign countries instead of through HongKong. The British competed with Japanese,the US andthe German for Tianjin`s market. Between 1920s and1930s,Tianjin became the trading center in north China.
        The Japanese controlled Tianjin`s foreign tradeafter the Japanese army occupied Tianjin. After Japansurrendered to China,Tianjin was under control of theKuomingtang. In this period,Tianjin`s foreign tradewas largely monopolized by US. In October,1946,the goods imported in Tianjin totaled over 100 millionyuan,among which the flour was imported from US,Australia and Canada; sugar from Peru; brown sugarfrom Hong Kong. The value of goods exported fromTianjin totaled 380 million yuan. Those goods wereexported to countries like US,Britain,Swiss,Swedenand Belgium.