For 18-year-old Dong Yanbing in Beijing, walking into a "goods store "feels like entering what she describes as a "romantic ideal world" — a space filled with magical powers and vibrant personalities that offer an escape from the mundane everyday life.

"Simply visiting these stores, even without buying anything, makes me happy. It's like stepping into my personal sanctuary, free from external distractions," she said.

The term "goods" refers to products related to anime, comics, games, and novels, collectively known as ACGN.These items typically include badges, figurines, acrylic standees, keychains, and other stationery accessories.

The word "goods" sounds like "guzi "in Chinese, which means "grain", and fans humorously call buying these items "eating grains".

In many shopping malls across China's major cities, it's easy to find one or more ACGN merchandise stores. Some cities even have entire districts dedicated to these trendy shops.

Dong particularly enjoys classic shonen anime series, such as One Piece, Slam Dunk, and Naruto, with her favorite character being Uchiha Sasuke from Naruto.

"He might be a polarizing character due to his vengeful nature, but his passion, fearlessness in the face of judgment, and determination to forge his own path give me so much strength," Dong explained.

She has collected numerous goods related to Sasuke, most of them badges, which are popular for being affordable, portable, and decorative. She has placed these badges throughout her room, finding joy in seeing them wherever she looks.

"Since I can't physically enter the two-dimensional world, I satisfy myself by acquiring diverse merchandise," she said.

Zhang Tian'ai, a 17-year-old high school student in Beijing, has a fondness for lesser-known intellectual properties (IPs) and characters, making the experience of exploring goods stores feel like an exciting treasure hunt. Finding what she's looking for among the wide variety of items is always a delightful surprise.

Zhang likes to personalize her backpack with the items she collects. Carrying it to school or around town gives her a sense of having her favorite characters by her side, which makes her day "a whole lot brighter", she said.

Tao Xuejun, a 29-year-old from East China's Anhui province, takes her goods to the next level by carefully decorating them to enhance their beauty, a practice known as "gumei" (literally meaning "beautify the goods") in the ACGN fan community. She also takes her cherished items on trips to their "Japanese hometown", capturing photos of them in snowy landscapes or in front of ancient buildings.

She even collaborates with artists to design and produce goods based on her own ideas.

Whether she buys them or creates them herself, Tao sees these items as a means to "reach out to that dreamy virtual world", she said. "I want to hold onto that beauty in my hands."

A good business?

Tao has been purchasing ACGN merchandise since high school, though back then, the term "goods "wasn't commonly used, and it was considered a niche hobby. "But now, if you talk to a college student, chances are they're into it or at least know something about it. Even my young niece joins me to check out goods stores," she said.

Li Pengfei, the manager of IP Star, a goods chain store in Beijing, echoes Tao's observation. He is pleased with the steady foot traffic in his store and notes that many loyal customers eagerly line up whenever new products are released.

"Our customers are mostly high school and college students, with a good number of young adults as well," he said. "While most spend just a few dozen yuan per visit, some may spend up to thousands."

Not long ago, getting ACGN merchandise often meant going through overseas agents, online shops, or anime conventions, which sometimes raised doubts about product authenticity or led to damaged goods from rough shipping. However, as the ACGN industry has expanded and matured, chain stores like IP Star, March Monster, Goodslove, Mancool, and others have emerged.

As businesses grow, many stores face the challenge of product homogenization. As a result, each store is working to carve out its own unique identity.

According to Li, IP Star secures authorization for a select number of IPs to create exclusive merchandise. They have also ventured into ACGN-themed dining by opening a restaurant in Beijing, which features rotating themes like Detective Conan, Heaven Official's Blessing, and Arknights.

Wang Yinglian, the manager of Beijing's first March Monster store, believes the store's uniqueness lies in its wide range of IPs and a large inventory of goods from Japanese manufacturers.

She also pointed out the growing trend of goods stores clustering together. According to her, "eating grains" has become a subculture that serves as a social hub for many ACGN enthusiasts, who gather to discuss their favorite merchandise and make friends with others who share their tastes. In response, many shopping malls are introducing a variety of goods stores and regularly hosting ACGN-themed events to cultivate a vibrant subcultural atmosphere.

"I can genuinely feel that ACGN and goods cultures are shifting from niche communities to the mainstream. Both enthusiasts and stores can anticipate a brighter future," she said.