Letters | Preserve and tell the Hong Kong toy story well
Readers discuss the closure of a toy shop in Wan Chai, and art therapy for those battling cancer
While video games require the use of pricey gaming consoles and controllers, toys such as remote-controlled cars and educational board games such as aeroplane chess and Jungle (dou shou qi) have unique appeal to toy fans, offering a more tactile experience in addition to generally being more affordable. They give children a chance to learn and practise social skills instead of having their eyes glued to screens, which damages their eyesight.
Due to diverse reasons such as increases in rent, the growing popularity of e-commerce platforms, the lure of gaming, shifts in customer taste, shop owner retirement and redevelopment of urban areas, many toy shops are shutting down.
Growing up in Kowloon, I would cross the harbour and make the trip to Wan Chai to browse the range of merchandise on display in toy shops on Tai Yuen Street. Spending time at these shops with my best friend, I met other toy fans, forging friendships along the way.
No doubt scores of people made the pilgrimage to Yat Sing Toys on its final day to bid it farewell and to take selfies so that they can remember it in the years to come.
Instead of sitting idly by and witnessing the demise of toy shops, can we proactively explore ways to at least preserve the precious memory of an interesting piece of local culture?