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The past is very much alive in the Western district, one of Hong Kong Island's most traditional neighborhoods, and nowhere more than in its shops. Different streets are known as centers for particular trades. Along Hollywood Road, between Sheung Wan and Central, antique Chinese furniture and collectibles fetch high prices in upscale showrooms. You can get similar-looking items half their price (and less than half their age) at the Cat Street Market on Upper Lascar Row, which also does a brisk trade in communist retro paraphernalia, mah-jongg tiles, and fans. Head up the road behind the Man Mo Temple to find couture boutiques, vintage shops, and hipster hangouts sprouting along burgeoning Square Street and Tai Ping Shan Street. Man Wa Lane is the place for chops (seals carved in stone with engraved initials). Traditional Chinese medicine is the commercial lifeblood of Sheung Wan proper: ginseng, snake musk, birds' nests, and sharks' fins are some of the delicacies available. Locals stock up on less exotic household goods at Sincere and Wing On, two of Hong Kong's oldest and largest department stores.
Beloved by connoisseurs, LockCha Tea House is a peaceful little enclave in the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. LockCha has a reputation for brewing high-quality fair-trade teas sourced directly from farmers; happily, it also has a charming retail shop in Sheung Wan, where you can purchase these plus beautiful teapots.
Across from the sprawling Oolaa restaurant, two of Hong Kong's best vintage hangouts are in one convenient store. Select 18 has everything from typewriters to 1970s Hermès blouses. If you can tear yourself from the heaps of jewelry and handbags, a treasure trove awaits. Tucked in back, you'll find literally thousands of retro-styled specs from Mido Eyeglasses, priced from a couple of hundred to several thousand Hong Kong dollars. The big question: tortoise-shell cat eyes or classic wayfarers?
You might stumble upon this local gem while wandering around Sheung Wan's evolving Po Hing Fong neighborhood. Founded and designed by Stockholm native Alexis Holm and watch collector William Cheung, the low-key boutique features slick Scandinavian watches, eyewear, and accessories.
Back in 2000, the Asian Art Archive set out to address the lack of information on the emerging field of Asian art, and to record its growth. Open to the public as a resource center, archive, and library, AAA is a magnet for art experts and the art-curious, providing comprehensive research and reading facilities.
The Sheung Wan area is a quaint and pungent place to shop for traditional Chinese herbs and medicines, but this reliable Asia-wide chain—in operation since 1879—is a more straightforward and sanitized option. There are branches all over Hong Kong, including one past immigration in the airport's Terminal One.
The city's first gallery specializing in studio glass has a bilevel backdrop of modern glass sculptures by artists from Southeast Asia, Australia, and the United States. It has also branched out to include a variety of paintings from primarily Chinese-Australian artists—expect everything from watercolors to abstract, pop works to traditional oils. By appointment only.
Friendly service and a decent selection of Chinese and western-style dinnerware make this a good one-stop shop. It also carries vases and antique reproductions.
This hole-in-the-wall shop has a surprisingly long history: it dates back to the early 1920s in Guangzhou, where the brand got its start before moving to Hong Kong. Lee Kung Man uses 1950's-era machines to make simple cotton tees and tanks, but the underwear is what brings shoppers flocking in. Despite a loyal hipster following, the store has kept prices relatively affordable, running between about HK$90 and HK$350 per top. Look for the signature cicada logo or the prancing deer at one of the four shops around town.
Aussie boutique Sambag touched down in Hong Kong in 2013, bringing its quality leather kicks and colorful summer accessories with it. Find strappy sandals and quality ballet flats in every hue (they’re priced at around HK$1,000 per pair), along with beachy cover-ups, floppy hats, and totes of all sizes.
Born in 1915, Mr. Leung Yau Kam is Hong Kong's oldest lantern maker, and he has refused to move his workshop across the border like all the others. These intricate, handmade works in paper take fantastical forms such as bright-orange goldfish. Their role has changed over his long career from functional to purely decorative, but lanterns are still important in Chinese society. This is especially true during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when children carry their special lanterns outdoors to view the full moon. If you can speak Cantonese—or have mastered charades—ask for one that can pack flat.
Almost more museum than shop, this Sheung Wan vintage store is packed from floor to ceiling with nostalgic Hong Kong ephemera. Dig through old toys, books, vinyl records, faded posters, watches, jewelry, retro lighting, furniture, and more to find something irreverent to take back home.
Everything Sin Sin does is dynamic, exciting, and unique. Her conceptual, minimalist clothing, jewelry, and accessories retain a Hong Kong character, while drawing from other influences—especially Indonesian. Garments are inspired by international fashion, and her silver jewelry features beautiful geometric designs that she calls "artsy yet wearable." The multitalented Sin Sin has a fine-art gallery across the street and also performs Cantonese opera in venues such as City Hall.
Works by diverse emerging and established artists from Indonesia, Thailand, mainland China, Hong Kong, and other Asian and European countries reveal the aesthetic tastes of lively Hong Kong designer and entrepreneur Sin Sin Man. There are also regular exhibitions and artist talks.
Unusual old and new objects from around the globe are sold at the Tào Gallery. Look for black-and-white photography and contemporary or rustic art, as well as furniture that conveys an eclectic Asian spirit. Find them near the steps below Man Mo Temple, just off of Hollywood Road.
A treasure-trove of Hong Kong–theme souvenirs, this appealingly cluttered first-floor emporium sells towels, mugs, fridge magnets, and cute, affordable homewares, greetings cards, ornaments, and the like. Notable are the impressionistic paintings of Hong Kong street scenes by British artist Louise Hill.
You know it when you walk into a Vivienne Tam boutique—the strong Asian-motif prints and modern updates of traditional women's clothing are truly distinct. But don't let the bold, ready-to-wear collections distract you from the very pretty accessories, which include leather handbags and other items with artistic embellishments. Tam, who has seven shops here, is one of the best-known designers in Hong Kong—and, even though she's now based in New York, the city still claims her as its own.
Quirky travel gear, handsome leather goods, hipster accessories: W.O.A.W. (World of Amazing Wonders) stocks an array of smart and stylish items. Started by serial entrepreneur, clothing designer, and all-around cool guy Kevin Poon, this lifestyle concept store promises to surprise you with up-and-coming brands like Native Union (a techy design brand pumping out funky and functional gadgets), plus some staple international picks like Hershel bags and Karen Walker shades.
This reliable manufacturer and retailer of predominantly handcrafted ceramics has been in operation since the early days of trade with the West (1863). There are more than 15,000 items on display in the main showroom, and the overwhelmingly large product line includes antique replicas, vases, dinnerware, figurines, and more—all in classic Chinese motifs. You can also visit the shop in the Lee Roy Commercial Building on Hollywood Road.
This redbrick Edwardian-style building in the Sheung Wan district is a declared monument and the oldest existing market building in Hong Kong; when built in 1906 it was used as a produce market. These days, kitschy commerce dominates its ground floor, where a few unmemorable shops sell crafts, toys, jewelry, and collectibles. Skip these, and head up the escalator, where you'll find a remarkable selection of fabric: satins, silks, and sequins are all here and worth a look. A more authentic experience is lunch, dinner, or high tea in the Grand Stage Ballroom Restaurant on the top floor. After a great Chinese meal, you can while away the afternoon with the old-timers trotting around the room to a live band belting out the cha-cha and tango. The restaurant is also a popular spot for weddings and receptions. Visit in the evening, and you're likely to snap up cashmere and chiffon while a violin sings overhead.
Opened in 1907, this old-style Hong Kong department store in Sheung Wan made its name with cheap deals on household appliances, kitchenware, and crockery. Of chief interest to overseas visitors are the local cosmetics, porcelain tea sets, and snacks.
One of Hollywood Road's oldest shops is at the Cat Street end, next to Man Mo Temple. Its vast and varied stock includes porcelain, stone carvings, and ceramics.
