Show your love for local brands in Central

More than just a restoration project, the new Central Market has adopted versatile and interactive designs in order to transform the venue into an age-inclusive, friendly, harmonious, and lively space for all. There will also be a wide range of educational and cultural activities held in partnership with different institutions and organisations under three key themes – approachable, energetic, and gregarious – with the aim to connect the community with traditional and modern culture.

The revitalised hub will also support numerous local brands and small businesses such as Hexadoor, which features numerous unique local brands offering fashion pieces and accessories as well as lifestyle items; Seon Hong Kong, a bric-a-brac shop that’s all about bringing unique Hong Kong-style patterns to life with hand-crafted and vintage items; Golden Resources, a pioneer in the local rice industry founded in 1946 showcasing a selection of rice-related products and tools; and the HK Tram Store, a tram-themed store home to everything from vinyl records and snacks to toys and car models, as well as snacks and other knick-knacks will be available.

Lily Bookshop is an independent second-hand bookstore that opened in Sheung Wan in 2017. Countless books line the shop from shelf to shelf, which is mostly in English with a special focus on antique books, first editions, and out-of-print books. Bibliophiles can meander through the modest shop and hunt their way through books of all genres, including novels, cookbooks, travel guides, textbooks, autobiographies, and many more.

Located on the ground floor of a historic tong lau (tenement building), Dongpo HK is more than just a local neighbourhood tuck shop. Through its easily recognisable blue shutter gates, you’ll find a nostalgic selection of Hong Kong snacks and childhood toys, as well as various made-in-Hong-Kong products ranging from artisanal ice cream to ceramic and jewellery pieces crafted by local artisans. Their store always displays an impressive array of antiques and vintage pieces from the 50s to 80s, courtesy of shop owner Vincent’s own personal collection. Customers are welcome to step through and check out the rare vintage pieces or pull up a seat outside the store to simply bask in the ambience of the neighbourhood.

Founded in 1948, Kung Lee is best known for its homemade sugarcane juice, which uses only the finest sugarcanes from Nanhai, Guangdong. Each stalk is peeled and simmered for two hours  before going into a master juicer to make a sweet and refreshing beverage. Aside from sugarcane juice, their sugarcane pudding is also a signature. Now over 70 years in the business, Kung Lee’s interiors feel as though time had stood still in the 60s with its old metallic countertops, mosaic flooring, posters and signages, and its instantly noticeable pre-war tenement facade.

As part of the ongoing H18 Peel Street and Graham Street redevelopment project by the Urban Renewal Authority, the H18 CONET – a space that seeks to connect local communities – is home to a variety of food and drink outlets, retail shops, as well as market stalls that were formerly located at the Graham Street Market. As the city’s oldest open-air wet market, Graham Street Market is packed to the brim with vendors selling an assortment of goods, from fresh fruits and vegetables to dried seafood. 

Yuen’s Tailor is a local bespoke tailoring shop that was appointed in 1977 – a short three years after the brand was established – to serve the British armed forces in Hong Kong. Not only did the shop create uniforms and ceremonial clothing for the army, but they also provided an extensive range of tailor-made garments such as suits, shirts, trousers, as well as evening dresses. In 1994, Yuen’s Tailor relocated to the historic landmark of the old Central Market, before finally settling in 2018 to its current location in Tai Kwun. Apart from providing bespoke tailoring services, Yuen’s Tailor regularly hosts classes and workshops to teach and share their crafts with other budding tailors in the making.

For something to warm the stomach, make your way to Cochrane Street for servings of Chinese herbal teas at the century-old spot Good Spring Tea Shop. Originally founded in Guangzhou's Panyu district, the shop opened in Central in 1916. The place is famous for its flower teas, 24 herbal brews, and Guilinggao – also known as tortoise jelly. Whether you're looking for something to cure a cold or soothe your throat, the shop offers bitter brews to help ease what ails you.

Established all the way back in 1895 in Guangdong Province, Ser Wong Fun is hailed as one of the most iconic Cantonese restaurants in the city. Now managed by fourth-generation owner Gigi Paulina Ng, whose grandfather and father first brought the business to Hong Kong in the 1940s, Ser Wong Fun not only impresses food lovers with their famous soul-warming snake soup, but also their exquisite selection of traditional cuisine. 

Relive the glam and nostalgia of old Hong Kong at Yan Shang Kee, a local qipao rental service. Their rental sessions are inclusive of hairstyling, as well as handbags and accessory rental, but they also provide bespoke qipao tailoring where customers can choose their preferred fabric and designs for personalised pieces. Yan Shang Kee owner Ding Yung often travels to Japan to source fabrics, which are then exported to a qipao-making master in Shanghai to be hand-crafted. The qipaos are given a modern twist with various materials and detailing to suit contemporary tastes.