Page 14 - 170 Varsity ebook

12 / P eriscope
12 / Periscope
aking advantage of his own bags are sold for HK $180 (US spot, are still selling products de-
textile business, Keith Mok $23.02) each.
Tis making Hong Kong sou-
venirs such as coin bags, backpacks
and shopping bags patterned with
minibus signs, MTR station names
and neon sign boards which are
displayed at his shop in Sham Shui
Po Fabric Market.
“We are still developing new
products that highlight unique fea- business to reach out to more tour- tourist who came to Hong Kong
tures of Hong Kong. We are going
to produce crossbody bags and
drawstring bags using fabrics with
mahjong and minibus signs pat-
terns to make it look more stylish,”
the 26-year-old shop owner says.
“Both Hongkongers and tour-
ists (buy these products)... Half of
the tourists are from Europe, US
and Australia. The other half are
from Malaysia, Taiwan and Singa-
pore,”
he adds.
Coin bags are sold for HK $50
(US $6.39) each and the shopping
The Hong K ong patterned pouches
The Hong Kong patterned pouches
that are sold for $50 each. (Photo
that are sold for $50 each. (Photo
courtes y of Alexia Leung)
courtesy of Alexia Leung)
signed decades ago.
“Our products are a bit more Souvenirs such as stuffed pan-
expensive than others because the das, dim sum magnets and Victoria
products are made in Hong Kong Harbour keychains can be found
by Hong Kong tailors, the sewing in Temple Street. Most of them are
process is complicated and the imported from mainland China.
fabrics are imported from Japan,” The price ranges from HK $20 (US
Mok says. $2.56) to HK $90 (US $11.51).
In an attempt to expand his Jonathan Schāfer*, a German
ists, Mok is putting up pop-up for the first time, finds the souve-
stores in D2 Place and the Mills. nirs in Temple Street are more of
“We will have a spot in the Central a Chinese style than a Hong Kong
Market soon,” he adds. style.
While Mok is developing new “The souvenirs here cannot re-
Hong Kong souvenirs, vendors at ally represent Hong Kong. I think
Temple Street, a popular tourist it’s like basic tourism stuff you get
all over the world… Some are spe-
cial compared to other countries
like the chopsticks, but it is so ba-
sic. It is the typical Asian, Chinese
style in the eyes of a Westerner,”
the 18-year-old tourist says.
Another German visitor, Ma-
nuel Schmidt*, traveled to other
s that
Mainland imported souvenir
Mainland imported souvenirs that Asian countries with his wife be-
are sold at Temple Street. fore coming to Hong Kong.
are sold at Temple Street.
(Photo courtes y of Alexia Leung)
(Photo courtesy of Alexia Leung)
“The quality of the souvenirs
here is the same as the other coun-
tries we were in before, like in Vi-
etnam and Thailand. I think it’s be-
cause everything is from China so
it is the same quality,”
he says.
Thomas Parker, a tourist from
England, came to Temple Street
A middle-sized stuffed panda is only for sightseeing. “I don’t want
A middle-sized stuffed panda is
sold for $89 and the souvenir to spend a lot on souvenirs here.
sold for $89 and the souvenir
magnets are sold for $25 each. I’m just looking around… explor-
magnets are sold for $25 each.
(Photo courtesy of Alexia Leung) ing… I like the atmosphere here.
(Photo courtes
y of Alexia Leung)
Everything looks the same, so I
can’t tell much about the quality,”