Transformers restaurant joins Five Guys and Ruby Tuesday to turn Hong Kong’s Russell Street from world’s priciest fashion strip into foodies’ haven
- It is the latest in a stream of international restaurant chains to land on the street in Causeway Bay this year
- The vacancy rate at Russell Street rose from zero in Q1 2019 to 7.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2022, according to JLL
Hong Kong’s Russell Street is seeing a dramatic change in character as it transitions from a luxury retail hub into a culinary draw, with the world’s first Transformers restaurant set to take the space formerly occupied by fashion house Burberry in the fourth quarter this year.
It will be the latest international restaurant chain to land on the street in Causeway Bay following burger outlet Five Guys and Ruby Tuesday, in what was once one of the most expensive retail venues in the world.
Restaurant-operator A La Carte (HK) Limited, the wholly-owned food and drink division of Hong Kong-headquartered technology company iFREE GROUP, said in a call with the South China Morning Post on Friday that the restaurant – which is based on the Transformers movie franchise - will complement the neighbourhood by attracting more people, from kids to senior citizens.
“Changing from an apparel and jewellery sort of retail experience, to more of a culinary one? I believe so,” said Tony Smyth, senior vice-president of corporate development and communications for iFREE GROUP, when asked about the location. “That is how you create this synergy and this kind of cluster or hub. And it’ll be beneficial to everyone in that community.”
“The Transformers franchise is very current in a lot of different ways … we’ve also got the comics, the cartoon universe as well and it appeals to all cross sections of age groups in society,” said Smyth.