Local Shops In Hong Kong: PMQ

It took me a while to go through and carefully curate all of these images, simply because there was so much to see at this place called PMQ in Hong Kong. PMQ stands for ‘Police Married Quarters’, as it was a police dormitory in its early history. Nowadays, the shops here are anything but formulaic and uniform.

Located in the midst of one of the hippest neighborhoods in Hong Kong, the Hollywood Road area, PMQ shares attention with the likes of art galleries, cold pressed juice bars and a variety of antique and trinket shops. The whole area is located on the side of a hill (like much of the city), so be prepared to walk up slopes for most of your journey here. Or, take a taxi; but why would you? You risk missing out on exercise and tons of photo opportunities!

Thankfully, PMQ teems with good quality coffee shops such as Coffeology, and restaurants, such as Sohofama, for weary travelers and ambitious shoppers to rest their feet. The balcony just outside Coffeology overlooks the internal central foyer and lobby of the iconic building. Seems like their business is just on the upswing, so do keep an eye on this one.

Coffeology is a humble little shop that would otherwise go unnoticed if I hadn’t been so thirsty and hungry (thungry). The café has notes of Japanese influence based on their presentation style and menu items. Their sweet potato tart made with fresh Japanese sweet potato is something to come back for.

Closer to the ground floor is Kapok, a well stocked boutique of hip merchandise with a strong selection of quirky items from local designers and niche international brands. They also have another outlet in Singapore, aptly located in the National Design Centre.

Come to Kapok, leave with tons of gifts for yourself and for others. The mood in the store is playful, unexpected and entertaining. Even if you don’t intend to spend a lot of money, the space is great visual eye candy and conversation starters lurk around every corner.

Another store worth shopping by? Found: Muji. Unlike the other Muji stores that are normally found in large malls, this concept store focuses on the unique qualities of Japanese textiles. Expect to find great ceramic ware for the home and kitchen, handkerchiefs, some iconic Muji snacks, and…

Adorable wooly sheep! I know I’m usually trying to keep things strong, hip and tinee dino-certified, but when I see little things like myself, I just can’t resist.

Easily spend 4 to 5 hours here, which will likely equate to 3000 to 4000 steps if you take the stairs as well. Do not leave here without marvelling at this beautiful hand-painted staircase. A good tip here, is that the bathrooms are extremely well maintained and clean – make use of this while you can! There are few public bathrooms in the area.

PMQ is a great spot in the city to get away from the hustle and bustle of the street below. Plunge into the modern Hong Kong above the antique shops, and admire the best of local design and flavours.