What do an old Beyblade, a Coca-Cola yo-yo and a 1980s McDonald’s napkin have in common?
According to Alfred Lee, owner of the vintage store SapGau, these items each reveal unique stories about Hong Kong’s history.
Since he was a child, Lee, who is now 27, has had a passion for collecting vintage toys and common objects.
His vintage store SapGau, which means “to rediscover the old” in Cantonese, is located in an industrial building in Tsuen Wan. The shop is filled with items from Hong Kong dating from the 1960s through the 1990s.
“I like the stories behind them, the history. I learn things I didn’t know, and that’s what I enjoy,” said Lee, who works as a freelancer to support his vintage shop.
“I want to know its history so I can pass these stories on to the next person.”
His collection journey
Some of Lee’s earliest acquisitions were classic Hong Kong-made toys from his childhood, as well as other popular items like Beyblades and Gundam figures.
As he grew older, Lee’s enthusiasm for collecting deepened. Four years ago, he rented a space for his first vintage store in an industrial building in Kwun Tong.
But as his collection grew, the warehouse became too crowded.
He then relocated to his current shop in Tsuen Wan, where he can showcase his collection more effectively.
One of Lee’s notable collections began when his father took him to explore street markets and bought him a used Coca-Cola yo-yo. In the latter half of the 20th century, the American beverage company promoted its international presence by selling various yo-yos in different countries.
Years later, Lee’s father gifted him a unique tin yo-yo from his own assortment. Lee eventually learned that it was one of the first Coca-Cola yo-yos made in Hong Kong.
“Who knew it would turn out to be ... so precious?” Lee said.
That discovery sparked a challenge: “If I already had the hardest one to find, why not collect all the others?”
Lee now estimates that he owns over 1,000 Coca-Cola yo-yos, which feature about 300 designs from Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and Mexico, created between the 1960s and 2000s.
What he has learned
Although some of Lee’s items may seem unusual, his goal is to “find the things Google can’t show you”.
“Things that are more about everyday life – museums might not necessarily have them,” he said. “But everyday items are more down-to-earth, showing how people’s living conditions really were at the time.”
Through his shop, Lee also tracks how Hong Kong has changed over time – for example, how piggy banks show technology’s impact on our approach to saving money.
“In the past, piggy banks were everywhere, but children today don’t necessarily have them,” Lee explained.
Although Lee began collecting long before vintage styles became trendy, he has noticed growing interest from adolescents.
Some come in searching for Pokemon cards and end up discovering older items around them. Others come specifically looking for decorative pieces that were popular in the past.
Lee believes that part of this trend is driven by curiosity about an era they never experienced. “People are curious about what life was really like,” he said.
He believes his work is particularly important for preserving sentimental belongings that people would otherwise discard.
“Do you think everyone wants to throw things away?” Lee asked.
But Lee’s shop gives some of these objects a second chance.
“Whether it’s helping Hong Kong conserve some stories, or keeping these stories because I like them myself, I think it’s about preserving a story for everyone,” Lee said.
