Mr. Shangkong | Luxury brands and high rents threaten old Hong Kong's character
The arrival of a Ralph Lauren store on Hollywood Road, renowned for its antique and art shops, is just one example of the changing face of the city
I live on Hollywood Road, which has been known as "antique street" for many years, thanks to all the antique and artwork shops scattered around the area. However, I am not sure if the street will keep its unique character in the years to come.
I moved to an apartment on Hollywood Road in 2010 and immediately fell in love with my neighbourhood. It's quite an easy walk to the offices and hotels in Central, and it's certainly far less noisy than the busy financial district. When I walk home I sometimes feel it is like a temporary escape from the busy business world.
When you walk past those old antique shops and some contemporary and modern art-work galleries, it feels a bit like going between the history and the future. But in the past three years, I've also seen some changes of the scene on Hollywood Road - in short, more bars, restaurants and fashion shops, and fewer things related to antiques or art.
The latest case is a Ralph Lauren store, which takes up an entire street corner for its new flagship shop in Hong Kong on Hollywood Road. Before the shop's official opening, the building was wrapped up in a cover with a huge RL logo on it, shocking some of its neighbours, including my family.
I like Ralph Lauren's polo shirts and travel bags, but when I first saw the big RL logo on Hollywood Road, I was not sure why Ralph Lauren came to this historically important street that has not too much to do with the luxury business.
Traditionally, luxury brands often like to take big spaces in shopping malls like IFC and Landmark in the Central business district.
For business, Hollywood Road may be considered a sort of second-class choice.