The Central Department Store (TsUM) on Rudaki Avenue is the main Soviet-era department store, now transformed into a multi-floor commercial center. The building retains its Soviet structure but the tenants are a mix of local and international brands. The top floor handicraft section is the most useful for souvenir hunters: embroidered tablecloths, ceramics, carved wood, chapans (padded robes), and the small decorative items that make good gifts.
The prices at TsUM are higher than the bazaar for equivalent goods, but the quality is more reliable and the selection is wider. The air conditioning is an attraction in itself on a hot Dushanbe afternoon.