HK & Macau 2024 (7/9) – Shop

Goldfish Street

Because we just ate around the corner and needed to walk it off, we took a stroll down the famous Goldfish Street in Mong Kok. While fish did occupy most of the street, people looking for non-aquatic pets could also find plenty of options here.

Although we had no business shopping here, it was an eye-opening experience to see the quantity and variety of fish (among other things) on display here. It was such a stark contrast to the US where the overwhelming market share was dominated by Petsmart and Petco. We had moved from New Jersey to California and our options were mostly limited to the 15 species that these large box store chains decided to carry… sure, there are independently owned local fish stores (which the aquarium community refer to as LFS), but they are few and far between. I had never seen an arrowana for sale in the US, for example, and here just one a single block there were three stores carrying a variety of sizes and colors.

My first thought was why these stores hadn’t joined forces through some M&A action to gain economy of scale, and then I realized what an American thought that was. Having a thriving neighborhood with small local businesses compete with and complement each other fosters such a better environment for the consumers in term of options. Are you an aquatic plant enthusiast? A couple stores here specialized in it. Artsy fish tank setup? That, too. Thinking back to when I drove from Petco to Petco, and every half-empty shelf offered nothing more than stupid Spongebob ornaments, the experience is really different.

Sino Centre

This chaotic building with an unassuming entrance made Phil and I consider moving to Hong Kong. It was highly unlikely that anyone without prior knowledge (or having searched for specific words on Google Maps) would randomly step onto the escalators in the rather dark hallway, and discover the hundreds of independent shops selling all sorts of games, toys, and comics. We drained all the cash on us in this building, plus a similar amount in credit card swipes.

Like the Goldfish Street, this collection of hobbyist stores was a living proof of how small businesses could do so much more than retail giants. Phil spent his afternoon going store after store to compare Pokemon card prices. I on the other hand focused my energy on the couple used comic book stores, getting myself souvenirs of nostalgia from the late 20th century.

Ladies’ Market

This street-level night market sold all sorts of clothing and house ware. Less than 20 steps into the market, I spotted some Gundam t-shirts with way better design than anything I saw at the Gundam Bases in Japan (I had wanted a shirt from there but couldn’t convince myself that any of their options were good enough). No brainer. I got a black shirt with red Sazabi on it. It was surprising when the shopkeeper agreed to take credit card, but walked me to a pharmacy at the street corner to use their card reader there. Guess that collaboration was mutually beneficial. So sweet to see people work well together.

Don Don Donki

As I write those words, the annoyingly cheerful and energetic song started ringing in my ears again…

Don Don Donki is the name for the Don Quixote stores outside Japan. For those (blissfully) uninitiated, it’s like Walmart and Disneyland had a baby, and crammed it into the space of a Walgreens. It’s a hyper-consumeristic nightmare with a cult following. Well, Phil is part of that cult. So are several friends that I spoke to earlier this year… so maybe I’m the weird one here. To be honest, the store itself is probably quite fine if it doesn’t have that blue penguin everywhere or the brainwashing song on endless loop.

There was one store in Central and another in TST, right below our hotel.

Bespoke Suit Tailor – L&K

Hong Kong continued to have a great reputation for its tailors, so Hong suggested that I get a suit made while there. I looked into it and wasn’t sure I could pull it off.

• The full bespoke process that online journalists focused on was super involved… 5 fittings over a 3-week period wasn’t something I could afford. The idea was nice, but I had no use for that kind of fancy
• A few tailors were famous for their 24-hour suits. Measure once and some guy would just not sleep that night or something. I wasn’t in such desperation to want a rushed piece of clothing

Part of the consideration was that I already had a tailored suit in Hong Kong from ten years ago. It involved a single measurement, several weeks of production, and a really low price tag. I still liked it very much, so how would a new one make sense?

The answer came when L&K’s owner Sam persuaded me to step into his store. For $550 USD (which was about 3x what I paid in 2014, but hey inflation was real), he could get me measured right away, offer me a fitting the very next day, and either (a) rush to get the final product in my hands another day later, or (b) mail it to the US within ten days. That was an attractive combo of offers – I was able to procure a more custom-made suit than anything I had owned, wear it to cousin Steven’s wedding in two weeks, all the while not risking loss of quality from someone pulling an all-nighter. Deal!

This turned out to be a great experience, and I did receive the suit at home on the 15th, as Sam promised.

HK & Macau 2024 Index

1. Visit
2. Move
3. Obsess
4. Pilgrimage
5. See
6. Watch
7. Shop
8. Eat
9. Play