·新商業(yè)街

20世紀(jì)二三十年代，是天津城市又一個快速發(fā)展時期。天津的繁華區(qū)進(jìn)一步擴(kuò)大、轉(zhuǎn)移，形成了以現(xiàn)今和平路與濱江道交叉路口為中心的新的商業(yè)區(qū)； 以現(xiàn)解放北路為中心的金融一條街；市區(qū)邊緣也興建了不少工廠企業(yè)，使市區(qū)有所擴(kuò)展。天津逐漸成為中國北方的經(jīng)濟(jì)中心城市。
天津是水陸碼頭，早期天津的商業(yè)區(qū)多分布在估衣街、侯家后和宮南、宮北大街一帶，清咸豐十年(1860)天津被迫開埠后，帝國主義在天津設(shè)立租界，位于法、英租界交界處的紫竹林的海河西岸，是船舶由海上進(jìn)入三岔河口的必經(jīng)之路。對岸是大直沽漕船、商船停泊之地。英、法在這里修建了6處碼頭，俗稱“紫竹林租界碼頭” 。興盛了幾百年的三岔河口到大直沽一帶的直沽漕運(yùn)樞紐港區(qū)，為紫竹林碼頭所代替。天津港口由封建性的內(nèi)貿(mào)港，淪為殖民地性的開放港； 由傳統(tǒng)的中國帆(漕)船運(yùn)輸為主，改為以大型輪船運(yùn)輸為主。
紫竹林碼頭距離和平路較近，它對和平路商業(yè)的繁榮起了重要作用。專門經(jīng)營進(jìn)出口貿(mào)易的外國商行(洋行),紛紛向租界遷移。
1900年的庚子事變，1912年袁世凱制造的“壬子兵變” ,使天津早期商業(yè)中心估衣街、侯家后和宮南、宮北大街一帶，先后遭到了侵略軍和亂兵的洗劫，各大商戶和富有人家，開始向日、法租界遷移，工商業(yè)者也紛紛向租界地區(qū)投資，在旭街和梨棧大街兩側(cè)購地建房，發(fā)展商業(yè)。1928年1月，新型百貨商店中原公司(今天津百貨大樓),在旭街與福島街交口處建成，把南市和梨棧的商業(yè)區(qū)連接貫通起來，形成了當(dāng)時天津最大的商業(yè)中心。到1930年前后，靠近傳統(tǒng)商業(yè)區(qū)的日租界旭街，以及與它成十字交的福島街(今多倫道),同它毗鄰的南市一帶，成了燈紅酒綠的繁華商業(yè)區(qū)。
九一八事變后，日租界不安全感增加，天津商業(yè)又開始向法租界梨棧一帶集中。20年代后，相繼在梨棧大街3個大十字路口，建起了多座高大建筑群。這就是： 天祥市場、泰康市場、勸業(yè)場、國民大飯店、交通旅館、惠中飯店、渤海大樓、浙江興業(yè)銀行等，周圍的餐飲、娛樂、服務(wù)等行業(yè)，應(yīng)運(yùn)而生。
高星橋等投資興建的天津勸業(yè)場，是天津最大的綜合性商場之一。到20世紀(jì)30年代中期，法租界商店多多，已居各租界之首。僅勸業(yè)、天祥、泰康3大商場內(nèi)，就集中了商店600多家。
天津的對外貿(mào)易的發(fā)展也進(jìn)入了快車道。開埠初期，天津從香港進(jìn)口的貨物，占了進(jìn)口總值的半數(shù)左右。第一次世界大戰(zhàn)爆發(fā)后，天津通過香港進(jìn)出口值有所下降，直接同外國貿(mào)易上升。英商與日美及德商在天津市場上爭奪貿(mào)易地位，20世紀(jì)二三十年代，天津成為中國北方對外貿(mào)易的中心。
天津淪陷時期，日本主宰了天津的對外貿(mào)易，占了天津進(jìn)口額的絕大比重。日本投降后，在國民黨的統(tǒng)治下，天津的對外貿(mào)易基本上被美國所控制。1946年10月，經(jīng)天津商檢局檢驗的進(jìn)口貨，總值為1億多元，面粉由美國、澳洲及加拿大進(jìn)口，白砂糖由秘魯進(jìn)口，赤砂糖由香港運(yùn)來； 而天津的出口商品，總值共為38億多元，輸往美、英、瑞士、瑞典、比利時等國，豆類及果類則全部輸往香港。

·梨棧大街

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.