Taichung may not have an international airport, or subway system, or science-based industrial park, or world-class concert hall to put it in the ranks of other big cities. Nevertheless, when it comes to one specific area, central Taiwan's main metropolis is a superpower of sorts.

Department stores or, rather, very big department stores have become Taichung's forte over the past decade as a series of big Taiwanese-Japanese ventures have set up shop with stores that not only rank as the biggest on the island, but dwarf most stores in the region as well. While a debate continues about the wisdom of such large investments, store owners and managers remain very confident in the local market, citing Greater Taichung's four million-plus consumers, cheap land prices and the city's vast potential for future growth.

This confidence was underlined very recently with the opening of a store that tops all island stores in terms of size and is even claimed by some as the biggest in Southeast Asia. Shinkong Mitsukoshi opened its doors officially in October and joins two of the island's biggest stores, Chung Yo Department Store and Kuang Sogo Department Store, also in Taichung. The 'Big Three', together with smaller existing department stores like Lai Lai, Far Eastern and Golden Plaza, strengthen Taichung's reputation as a favored destination for shoppers from around the island. And that is not all. Other large ventures, like a reported Takashimaya-President Group project in the Tunghai University area, are on the way.

Mitsukoshi, Sogo and Chung Yo are all big enough to provide a shopping mall-like experience, as one walks through floors and floors containing dozens of international and local brand-name vendors selling all grades of clothing, cosmetics, fashion accessories, toys, appliances, electronics and other wares. There are food courts, cafes and restaurants with the same variety of food and beverage choices. In the case of Mitsukoshi, the mall-like atmosphere is boosted with the addition of a world-class movie theater complex.

To cover all vendors, outlets and features of each of these giants would be impossible in the space provided here. However, each store has its own unique highlights and features which are worth noting and make each worth exploring in its own right. A few shopping tips: Floors are generally arranged according to product types and price, always starting with cosmetics and jewelry on floor one, followed by the top brands for clothing and fashion on floors two and three. Basement levels usually include some sort of food court and supermarket and book stores are always towards the top with toys somewhere in the middle. All stores are open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., opening 10:30 a.m. on Sundays and holidays.

Below are SOME highlights worth checking out at each store. However, this list is by no means comprehensive, so make sure you do your own exploring.

< CHUNGYO | SOGO | SHINKONG MITSUKOSHI >