Gu Lu is a shoemaker at Dameihua, where cloth shoes in a style dating back more than 3,000 years are made and sold. She was happy to demonstrate the craft to customers one recent day.

Established in 1904, Dameihua's handmade shoes with cloth soles and embroidery may look old-fashioned, but they are becoming popular with young people embracing retro styles.

"Our shoes are really comfortable," Gu said. "Young people wear them at the office or when driving."

Old doesn't have to mean stale.

"We're doing a lot to show to the public that these brands and their stores are alive and still competitive," said Li Xijun, vice general manager of Kaikai Group, parent company of many brands.

A 230-meter section of Shaanxi Road N., between Nanjing and Weihai roads, reopened in September after a six-month renovation. It has 17 shops selling venerated brands.

According to Kaikai, the revenue at some stores has increased by more than 60 percent since the renovation.

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