Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Along a narrow lane behind the street stalls of Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district, a 30-year-old shop is adorned with dozens of colourful lanterns.
It is hard to miss the large sign near the entrance of Yat Sing Toys that says: “Good Bye!”
Next to it is a small self-portrait of the smiling owner with a message in Chinese: “I am retiring.” A notice thanks long-time customers, with a wish for them to always stay childlike.
News of the closure brought a crowd of customers eager to say farewell to the beloved store. Some believed that its exit would dim the shine of Tai Yuen Street, known to locals as “toy street” and once home to half a dozen toy shops.
Others said its closure was a sign of changing times. These days, children have more fun with digital devices, and people prefer shopping online.
Since the mid-90s, Yat Sing has drawn parents and children looking for everything from balloons to modelling clay, stuffed toys, dolls, planes and more. One shopkeeper said she would miss the regular customers who came to chat.
Workers from nearby offices would also visit the shop to pick up decorations for holidays like Halloween, Christmas and Lunar New Year.
Quiz time
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How did the owner of Yat Sing Toys announce the closure of the shop?
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How did long-time store patrons react to the news of the closure?
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What does the shop’s closure say about how times have changed?
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What kind of goods did the shop offer its customers?
Suggested answers
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with a large sign near the entrance of saying: “Good Bye!” and a small self-portrait of the smiling owner with a message in Chinese: “I am retiring.”
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They thronged to the store, eager to pick up a memento and bid the place a nostalgic farewell.
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It shows children have more fun with digital devices these days and shoppers preferred browsing online.
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balloons, modelling clay, stuffed toys, dolls, planes, festive decorations and more
