Barnaul is an important industrial center of Western Siberia. There are more than 100 industrial enterprises in the city, employing approximately 120 thousand people. Leading industries in the city work with diesel and carbon processing; as well as production of heavy machinery, tires, furniture and footwear. It is also home to a newly established diamond faceting industry, which the city hopes will expand and become a major source of revenue in the future. Barnaul is currently one of the only locations in Russia which has an industry specializing in diamond-faceting.
The main business street of the city is Leninsky Prospect, which runs southwest from the Ob River through the center of the city. In recent years, a number of new high-end shopping centers have appeared to meet demand for products desired by the city's nouveau riche. Another industry quickly changing the face of Barnaul's downtown area is the restaurant industry: while choices had been extremely limited until recently, a growing number of establishments catering to people of differing income levels are becoming more common, coinciding with the upturn in the region's economy
