Starting young in business: pupils, 14, pay HK$20,800 for stall at Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fair
Some of the youngest participants at auction for highly prized booths come out on top as they put their entrepreneurial skills to the test
A group of 14 year olds on Tuesday showed how youth can trump experience by securing one of the coveted market stalls at Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fair next year.
The three pupils from Po Leung Kuk Tong Nai Kan Junior Secondary College in Sham Shui Po forked out HK$20,800 on the second day of a public auction for stalls at the event, which is a top draw for holiday shoppers.
The trio put their entrepreneurial skills to the test against a tough field of enterprising individuals at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai as the hopefuls vied for the right to run a stall at the Victoria Park bazaar between February 10 and 16.
While the minimum age for entry to the auction was 18, students were able to bypass that rule with the help of their teachers, with schools subsidising their mini moneymaking efforts as part of learning projects.
Tuesday’s session saw many young faces in school uniforms. The Sham Shui Po group were first-time entrants and could have been the youngest on the floor at just 14 years old.