Nostalgia
Causeway Bay: Then & Now
Feature
Causeway Bay embodies the many facets of Hong Kong – the fast pace, fascinating contrasts and dynamic energy. From the city’s very beginning to the present day, its diversity and vibrancy makes it a beloved neighbourhood.
-
The Lee Gardens Hotel
Joseph Yung, former General Manager and Toh Toh Ma, former Chief Executive
Even now, 25 years after its doors closed for the last time, the legacy of Lee Gardens Hotel lives on in the memory of those who called the hotel their home…
-
Uncle Leung
Street vendor
“We picked this spot on Leighton Road today because it’s spacious and we aren’t in peoples’ way. We’ve been here for over 40 years. We used to roast chestnuts…
-
Celia Garcia
Long-term Po Leung Kuk volunteer
“Have you ever heard of ‘airplane olives’? Hawkers would scream from the ground floor, selling their snacks from the street, so we’d drop money down from our balcony and they’d throw the olives up to us…
-
Jimmy Lee
Owner, Red Pepper
“In 1967, I worked as an apprentice at an architecture office by day and then went to night school. I worked on the first floor of the Lee Garden building…
-
Wan Chai Fire Station
435 Hennessy Road
Wan Chai Fire Station is the oldest fire station still standing in Hong Kong. Its maroon facade and retro-style balconies distinguish it from other fire stations in the city, which have followed a standard design since 1958.
-
Craigengower Cricket Club
188 Wong Nai Chung Road
Founded in 1894 and originally located on Bonham Road, the Craigengower Cricket Club was constructed for the students of Victoria English School.
-
Auntie Chiu
Villain hitter
I’m from Dongguan and my family, we had a lot of farms there. I was really busy planting mandarins, we had pigs, cows and chickens…
-
Liza Wang
Accomplished artist
It was just last year that Liza Wang, Hong Kong’s most beloved diva, actress, and Cantonese Opera artist, celebrated the 50th year of her glorious career. Having mesmerised a whole generation of Hongkongers…
Celebrating Causeway Bay
Feature
A neighbourhood in flux, Causeway Bay’s constant evolution keeps residents and visitors coming back for more. Whether it’s fashion, food, film or art, it’s a part of Hong Kong that keeps people mesmerised and inspired.
We are the neighbourhood
Feature
Thanks to its historic role as the centre of gravity for social life on Hong Kong island, Causeway Bay is home to some of the city’s most tight-knit communities. Some have been around for generations, others are only just developing.
-
Sandy Ki
Owner, Old San Yang
It’s difficult to imagine Causeway Bay as anything but a bustling metropolis, but Sandy Ki has witnessed the neighbourhood evolve into the burgeoning business and shopping hub it is today…
-
St. Mary's Church
Local Landmark
St. Mary’s Church is an Anglican church that began in 1911 as a chapel for those at the Eyre Diocesan Refuge. Much of the early work depended on volunteers and donations…
-
Andrew Chui
Managing Director, Tai Ping Koon Restaurant Group
Tai Ping Koon started in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty, when Guangzhou was an accessible entrepôt for foreign trade…
-
Daniel Man
Professional football player
“I’m a professional football player. I used to play for Lee Man FC and before that I played at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley for over ten years…
-
Candy Cheung
Shun Kee Typhoon Shelter Seafood Owner
“We grew up here on the water. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter used to be filled with these floating restaurants, but by the 90s, they’d begun to disappear. Some of the few that remained eventually shut down and opened up on-land instead…
-
Mr Cheng
Owner, Paris Cotton Singlets Company
My father and I were refugees who came to Hong Kong in 1948. At first, he worked at a construction site for HK$5 a day. We rented half a store and set up a…
-
Dr Lau
Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Dr Lau Tai-yum can recall the days when Lee Garden was just a quarry where he and his school friends would play. “There were only a couple of shops…
-
Yiu Fung
3 Foo Ming Street
Established in Shanghai and brought to Hong Kong around 60 years ago, Yiu Fung specialises in Chinese snacks: pickled and preserved fruits, nuts and also dried meat products such as beef, pork and fish…
-
Grandma Poon
Resident of Causeway Bay
“I was born on Lockhart Road back in 1933. I was 20 years old when I was sent to Cuba to be married and have a family. We came back in 1960 and later bought property…
-
Chien Lee
Chairman of Bei Shan Tang Foundation
For Chien Lee, Chairman of the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, a passion and support for Chinese culture and the arts has always been in his blood. Grandson of Lee Hysan and son of Dr. Jung Sen Lee…
-
Christ the King Chapel
33 Caroline Hill Road
Dedicated to Christ the King, this chapel is part of the St Paul’s compound in Causeway Bay which also houses a convent and hospital. Its history can be traced back to 1848, when four Sisters of St Paul of Chartres arrived in Hong Kong…
-
Michell Lie
Brand manager, ink artist & candle maker
“In my eyes, Causeway Bay is a cultural gem. I spent my entire secondary school life here, living next to Victoria Park…
-
Paul & Jocelyn
Lovebirds of Causeway Bay
Jocelyn: “I moved to Hong Kong from the Chicago suburbs at the age of 11. Causeway Bay was a total assault on the senses in the best way possible – there is so much energy and vibrancy, but also an an instant connection to the pulse of Hong Kong.”
-
Cynthia Leung
Owner, Cat Store
It all started 18 years ago when my partner ‘Ah Mao’ (Cat) and I had an vintage store on Percival Street. She collected a lot and we soon ran out of space…
-
James Robertson
Founder of El Grande Concepts
Chances are you’ve eaten at one of El Grande Concepts’ many bars and restaurants. They include Hong Kong favourites Grappa’s and Inn Side Out. Founder James Robertson…
-
Auntie Yuk
Pantyhose vendor on Pak Sha Road
“I’ve had customers, including celebrities and politicians, who would definitely get upset if I ever moved my stall. I’m sure they’d be asking people…
-
Mimosa Lee
Salesperson
“My favourite thing in Causeway Bay? The sound of the peanut shells crunching under my feet at Inn Side Out back when it was in Sunning Plaza. I had some great…
-
Sim Sim
Owner, Jardine Bazaar stall
“I’ve been here for 47 years. I love the women who like my stall. They bring their relatives and friends to visit and I’ve watched them grow from young women…
-
Brother Fai
Fire Dragon Commander-in-Chief, Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association
Tai Hang is still a village, even if it is being swallowed up by the high-rise city that surrounds it. Walk through its narrow grid of streets and you’ll find…
-
Mr Cheung
Owner, Ambassador Barber Parlour
I’ve worked here for over 50 years, 30 in this location and 20 in the last. I came to Causeway Bay in 1978 and when my old bosses retired…
-
Otto Leong
A childhood spent at Lee Theatre
Lee Theatre was once one of the city’s most glamorous institutions. Standing at the very edge of Percival Street, it opened to the public in 1927 and hosted a range of shows from Cantonese opera to film screenings, and even the Miss Hong Kong pageant during its heyday…
-
Savin Kwok
Owner, Tak Shing Tea Stall
“My dad operated Tak Shing Tea Stall from 1972 to 2003. It was two carts in an alley between Lan Fong and Pak Sha Roads that sold milk tea, coffee, beef ball and…
-
Four Generations of the Lee Family
At the historic opening of Lee Garden Three in November 2018, Irene Lee, Chairman of Hysan Development remarked, “We have four generations of the Lee family here today to celebrate the opening of Lee Garden Three…
-
Yum Sing Bar
Rosalie Carpio and Alex Lai
“You ask me how deep my love for you is. How much do I really love you? My affection is real, my love is real. The moon represents my heart…”
Teresa Teng’s beloved song is an apt choice for Rosalie Carpio’s set list…
-
Scott Chou
Fan of President Theatre
“I’m a huge fan of the movies. I go to the cinema at least once a week and the President Theatre is really my favourite place to go. I guess it all comes from when I was young…
-
Takeo and Ryuma Iwami
Hong Kong Judo Kan
Over 50 years ago, Ryuma Iwami’s father Takeo came to Hong Kong with the desire to bring with him a part of Japan and its culture: judo. His dojo, Hong Kong Judo Kan, was established in Prince Edward in 1966, and later relocated to Causeway Bay.
-
Irene Lee
Chairman of Hysan Development
There are very few people who know the origin of a suburb, let alone one as integral to Hong Kong as Causeway Bay. But for Irene Lee, granddaughter of Lee Hysan and current chairman of Hysan Development, she can look back on the neighbourhood’s inception…
-
Zoroastrian Prayer Hall in Causeway Bay
Neville Shroff, President, and Ervad Homyar Nasirabadwala, Priest of The Incorporated Trustees of the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao
Zoroastrianism is known as the oldest practiced religion in the world: originating in ancient Persia over three thousand years ago…
-
Noonday Gun
A beloved tradition
A loud ‘bang’ echoes from the Causeway Bay waterfront at precisely 12pm every day. It’s the Noonday Gun, a three-pound artillery gun…
-
Christine Tsoi
Marketing Manager
“As a child, I would walk along this street on my way to school. I didn’t know then that decades later, I would still be passing by these same pigeons…
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Causeway Bay: Then & Now
Feature
Causeway Bay embodies the many facets of Hong Kong – the fast pace, fascinating contrasts and dynamic energy. From the city’s very beginning to the present day, its diversity and vibrancy makes it a beloved neighbourhood.
-
Wan Chai Fire Station
435 Hennessy Road
Wan Chai Fire Station is the oldest fire station still standing in Hong Kong. Its maroon facade and retro-style balconies distinguish it from other fire stations in the city, which have followed a standard design since 1958.
-
Craigengower Cricket Club
188 Wong Nai Chung Road
Founded in 1894 and originally located on Bonham Road, the Craigengower Cricket Club was constructed for the students of Victoria English School.
-
Auntie Chiu
Villain hitter
I’m from Dongguan and my family, we had a lot of farms there. I was really busy planting mandarins, we had pigs, cows and chickens…
-
Liza Wang
Accomplished artist
It was just last year that Liza Wang, Hong Kong’s most beloved diva, actress, and Cantonese Opera artist, celebrated the 50th year of her glorious career. Having mesmerised a whole generation of Hongkongers…
Celebrating Causeway Bay
Feature
A neighbourhood in flux, Causeway Bay’s constant evolution keeps residents and visitors coming back for more. Whether it’s fashion, food, film or art, it’s a part of Hong Kong that keeps people mesmerised and inspired.
-
The Lee Gardens Hotel
Joseph Yung, former General Manager and Toh Toh Ma, former Chief Executive
Even now, 25 years after its doors closed for the last time, the legacy of Lee Gardens Hotel lives on in the memory of those who called the hotel their home…
-
Uncle Leung
Street vendor
“We picked this spot on Leighton Road today because it’s spacious and we aren’t in peoples’ way. We’ve been here for over 40 years. We used to roast chestnuts…
-
Celia Garcia
Long-term Po Leung Kuk volunteer
“Have you ever heard of ‘airplane olives’? Hawkers would scream from the ground floor, selling their snacks from the street, so we’d drop money down from our balcony and they’d throw the olives up to us…
-
Jimmy Lee
Owner, Red Pepper
“In 1967, I worked as an apprentice at an architecture office by day and then went to night school. I worked on the first floor of the Lee Garden building…
We are the neighbourhood
Feature
Thanks to its historic role as the centre of gravity for social life on Hong Kong island, Causeway Bay is home to some of the city’s most tight-knit communities. Some have been around for generations, others are only just developing.
-
Candy Cheung
Shun Kee Typhoon Shelter Seafood Owner
“We grew up here on the water. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter used to be filled with these floating restaurants, but by the 90s, they’d begun to disappear. Some of the few that remained eventually shut down and opened up on-land instead…
-
Mr Cheng
Owner, Paris Cotton Singlets Company
My father and I were refugees who came to Hong Kong in 1948. At first, he worked at a construction site for HK$5 a day. We rented half a store and set up a…
-
Dr Lau
Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Dr Lau Tai-yum can recall the days when Lee Garden was just a quarry where he and his school friends would play. “There were only a couple of shops…
-
Yiu Fung
3 Foo Ming Street
Established in Shanghai and brought to Hong Kong around 60 years ago, Yiu Fung specialises in Chinese snacks: pickled and preserved fruits, nuts and also dried meat products such as beef, pork and fish…
-
Sandy Ki
Owner, Old San Yang
It’s difficult to imagine Causeway Bay as anything but a bustling metropolis, but Sandy Ki has witnessed the neighbourhood evolve into the burgeoning business and shopping hub it is today…
-
St. Mary's Church
Local Landmark
St. Mary’s Church is an Anglican church that began in 1911 as a chapel for those at the Eyre Diocesan Refuge. Much of the early work depended on volunteers and donations…
-
Andrew Chui
Managing Director, Tai Ping Koon Restaurant Group
Tai Ping Koon started in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty, when Guangzhou was an accessible entrepôt for foreign trade…
-
Daniel Man
Professional football player
“I’m a professional football player. I used to play for Lee Man FC and before that I played at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley for over ten years…
-
Grandma Poon
Resident of Causeway Bay
“I was born on Lockhart Road back in 1933. I was 20 years old when I was sent to Cuba to be married and have a family. We came back in 1960 and later bought property…
-
Chien Lee
Chairman of Bei Shan Tang Foundation
For Chien Lee, Chairman of the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, a passion and support for Chinese culture and the arts has always been in his blood. Grandson of Lee Hysan and son of Dr. Jung Sen Lee…
-
Christ the King Chapel
33 Caroline Hill Road
Dedicated to Christ the King, this chapel is part of the St Paul’s compound in Causeway Bay which also houses a convent and hospital. Its history can be traced back to 1848, when four Sisters of St Paul of Chartres arrived in Hong Kong…
-
Michell Lie
Brand manager, ink artist & candle maker
“In my eyes, Causeway Bay is a cultural gem. I spent my entire secondary school life here, living next to Victoria Park…
-
Paul & Jocelyn
Lovebirds of Causeway Bay
Jocelyn: “I moved to Hong Kong from the Chicago suburbs at the age of 11. Causeway Bay was a total assault on the senses in the best way possible – there is so much energy and vibrancy, but also an an instant connection to the pulse of Hong Kong.”
-
Cynthia Leung
Owner, Cat Store
It all started 18 years ago when my partner ‘Ah Mao’ (Cat) and I had an vintage store on Percival Street. She collected a lot and we soon ran out of space…
-
James Robertson
Founder of El Grande Concepts
Chances are you’ve eaten at one of El Grande Concepts’ many bars and restaurants. They include Hong Kong favourites Grappa’s and Inn Side Out. Founder James Robertson…
-
Auntie Yuk
Pantyhose vendor on Pak Sha Road
“I’ve had customers, including celebrities and politicians, who would definitely get upset if I ever moved my stall. I’m sure they’d be asking people…
-
Mimosa Lee
Salesperson
“My favourite thing in Causeway Bay? The sound of the peanut shells crunching under my feet at Inn Side Out back when it was in Sunning Plaza. I had some great…
-
Sim Sim
Owner, Jardine Bazaar stall
“I’ve been here for 47 years. I love the women who like my stall. They bring their relatives and friends to visit and I’ve watched them grow from young women…
-
Brother Fai
Fire Dragon Commander-in-Chief, Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association
Tai Hang is still a village, even if it is being swallowed up by the high-rise city that surrounds it. Walk through its narrow grid of streets and you’ll find…
-
Mr Cheung
Owner, Ambassador Barber Parlour
I’ve worked here for over 50 years, 30 in this location and 20 in the last. I came to Causeway Bay in 1978 and when my old bosses retired…
-
Otto Leong
A childhood spent at Lee Theatre
Lee Theatre was once one of the city’s most glamorous institutions. Standing at the very edge of Percival Street, it opened to the public in 1927 and hosted a range of shows from Cantonese opera to film screenings, and even the Miss Hong Kong pageant during its heyday…
-
Savin Kwok
Owner, Tak Shing Tea Stall
“My dad operated Tak Shing Tea Stall from 1972 to 2003. It was two carts in an alley between Lan Fong and Pak Sha Roads that sold milk tea, coffee, beef ball and…
-
Four Generations of the Lee Family
At the historic opening of Lee Garden Three in November 2018, Irene Lee, Chairman of Hysan Development remarked, “We have four generations of the Lee family here today to celebrate the opening of Lee Garden Three…
-
Yum Sing Bar
Rosalie Carpio and Alex Lai
“You ask me how deep my love for you is. How much do I really love you? My affection is real, my love is real. The moon represents my heart…”
Teresa Teng’s beloved song is an apt choice for Rosalie Carpio’s set list…
-
Scott Chou
Fan of President Theatre
“I’m a huge fan of the movies. I go to the cinema at least once a week and the President Theatre is really my favourite place to go. I guess it all comes from when I was young…
-
Takeo and Ryuma Iwami
Hong Kong Judo Kan
Over 50 years ago, Ryuma Iwami’s father Takeo came to Hong Kong with the desire to bring with him a part of Japan and its culture: judo. His dojo, Hong Kong Judo Kan, was established in Prince Edward in 1966, and later relocated to Causeway Bay.
-
Irene Lee
Chairman of Hysan Development
There are very few people who know the origin of a suburb, let alone one as integral to Hong Kong as Causeway Bay. But for Irene Lee, granddaughter of Lee Hysan and current chairman of Hysan Development, she can look back on the neighbourhood’s inception…
-
Zoroastrian Prayer Hall in Causeway Bay
Neville Shroff, President, and Ervad Homyar Nasirabadwala, Priest of The Incorporated Trustees of the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao
Zoroastrianism is known as the oldest practiced religion in the world: originating in ancient Persia over three thousand years ago…
-
Noonday Gun
A beloved tradition
A loud ‘bang’ echoes from the Causeway Bay waterfront at precisely 12pm every day. It’s the Noonday Gun, a three-pound artillery gun…
-
Christine Tsoi
Marketing Manager
“As a child, I would walk along this street on my way to school. I didn’t know then that decades later, I would still be passing by these same pigeons…