But over in China, mountain climbers in Hunan province can actually grab a quick snack or water bottle while mid-climb — if they’re brave enough to scale a ladder 393 feet up to get there.
The store went wild on Chinese social media platform Weibo, quickly pulling in almost 50 million views as curious users tried to make sense of this sky-high retail stop.
Surprisingly, even though it’s perched in such a hard-to-reach spot, the prices aren’t outrageous. A bottle of water only costs 2 yuan, which is roughly 30 pence or about 25 cents.
Working there isn’t your standard store gig. Before sunrise, workers begin climbing the cliff to restock shelves before customers arrive. The entire store fits just one staff member at a time, and the job itself is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Another team member explained: “Every new employee is quite scared of doing this at first, but you get used to it very quickly. The only issue is having to use the toilet. It’s exhausting to have to climb back down and up again to use the toilet, so we try not to drink too much water.”
Though it had to shut down temporarily due to COVID-19 lockdowns in China, its return and now viral fame has amazed people all over the world, with many struggling to believe such a place exists.
Another commenter, SteadfastEnd, pointed out the real reason it’s such a smart idea: “Not just that, but it enables the climbers to avoid having to pack heavy bottled water during part or most of their climb. They climb without water, then buy at the store.”
No matter how you look at it — whether it’s a clever business move or just a workplace that’s straight-up terrifying — this little store is definitely not where you’re popping in to grab milk on the way home.
