By KHT Staff. AI recreation based on a reference photograph.
KAOHSIUNG — Reports of empty pitches and “stalls for rent” banners at Rueifong Night Market (瑞豐夜市) have prompted online discussion about operating costs and changing shopping habits.
A visitor’s Oct. 25 Threads post described a dark, largely vacant section of the market and asked what had happened, according to a China Times property news report republished by Yahoo.
One commenter, identifying themselves as a former vendor, said stallholders faced competition from cheaper online goods while paying rent and staffing costs. The commenter claimed renting a pitch could cost as much as a storefront, or more, and said some vendors had switched to online sales or left the business. The report provided no rental figures to substantiate that comparison.
However, other accounts suggest the picture varies within the market. TVBS reported that some commenters described busy food stalls alongside quieter areas previously occupied by clothing, accessories and other merchandise sellers. One visitor disputed the impression of an empty market, saying it was crowded when they passed.
Some commenters also said the vacant sections had existed for years, rather than representing a sudden change.
Neither report included a market-wide vacancy count, verified sales figures, or a response from market management. The posts raise questions about conditions for vendors but do not establish the scale or cause of any overall decline.
