In other parts of the city, support for local businesses has kept some smaller shops in operation despite the slump in the wider retail scene.
Among the crowd of customers at phone case brand Casetify’s shop in Causeway Bay on Sunday were Christine Young, 33, and her girlfriend Viola Wong, 36.
Young, who works in e-commerce, said it was “saddening and disappointing” that it had become a trend among residents to travel to Shenzhen or other mainland cities over the weekends and holidays.
While acknowledging that Hong Kong was more expensive than the mainland and that choice was dwindling as shops closed, Young said it was thus all the more important for residents to support local retailers.
Young said she and Wong would often explore neighbourhoods such as Tai Hang with the intention of giving local shops their business.
“We want them to be able to survive,” Young said. “We know if we don’t, they may be gone some day soon.”
Nearby at Showa Film Camera, a locally owned photography shop with locations in Causeway Bay and Mong Kok, sisters Liu Yuen-ting, 31 and Eunice Liu Yuen-yiu, 26, browsed a selection of reusable film cameras.
The sisters, themselves owners of a local flower shop, had travelled from their home in Tai Po to Causeway Bay specifically to visit the camera store, they said.
The younger Liu admitted that most of her shopping was done online these days owing to the convenience and wider selection of products, but she still tried to support smaller shops such clothing stores run by local designers.
She added that the camera store, which sells second-hand vintage equipment, was an example of something “special” in the city that could not be found in Shenzhen.
“Some shops are really unique in Hong Kong,” her sister chimed in.
Hugo Tang Wai-yip, a 31-year-old staff member who has worked at Showa Film Camera for six years, said such sentiments from customers like the Liu sisters made him “very happy”.
Tang said his employers had considered shutting down the Causeway Bay branch last year, but he had urged them to keep it running after receiving much support from the local community.
“There are always people who love this city, and we want to attract those people,” Tang said.
“Seeing familiar faces, maybe not every day but on a weekly basis, it makes you feel good and is one of my motivations to keep doing this.”
This article was first published on SCMP.
