Old steps with new surprises
- Shing Wong Street 城皇街
- Most of the shops open 11am-7pm
Shing Wong
Long before the British came to Hong Kong there was a Shing Wong temple here. In 1874, a super typhoon hit the city and many of the houses collapsed, including the temple. Local people had no money to rebuild the temple, so Shing Wong’s statue was moved to Man Mo Temple (#20 in this walk), but the name Shing Wong remained.
Shing Wong surprises
In the basement of a beautiful art deco building in Shing Wong street is where you’ll find concept studio You Wu. Rather unusual for Hong Kong, it simply provides a place for fun. People are welcome here to re-create their own space: organise exhibitions, workshops and enjoy life. Come in and browse through the selection of books from MCCM creations or simply drop by for a cup of tea. Next door is Common Ground, a quirky shop cum café with a tiny kitchen and tables made of scrap wood. This place used to be the workshop of cool accessories label Protest Design, so retail therapy is available while waiting for your food.
The backstreet barbershop
If you feel like a little detour, walk down the steps past the public toilet and find an authentic barbershop on your left. The barbershop has been in this spot for over 60 years and still grooms the old-fashioned way. A cut here won’t break the bank; a haircut including a wash will set you back HK$68 and kid’s cuts start at HK$38.