Toy Zone HK - Vintage Toy Shop

Not technically a 'trek' but I did walk loads around the shop.  I'm sure that counts? 😆

So this vintage toy shop is call Toy Zone (toyzone.com.hk) in Shau Kei Wan locate on eastern side of Hong Kong island.  I accidentally came across a YouTube video where some bloke was doing a video blog showing this undiscovered gem!  I thought 'Wow! I'd love to go there!'.  And being in Hong Kong, I thought I cannot pass this opportunity!

Today its cloudy with light rain,  it was also humid and sticky.  Having no idea how to prepare for a day like this, I brought along an umbrella and wearing a hoodie which if I'm honest I don't really need either.  The rain have been really light, more misty than anything plus I spend majority of the time on transport or being indoors. All the walking makes the stickiness even more unbearable. It was hot!!!

Anyways, I took a bus out to Sai Kung and then a minibus to Monk kwok in Central Kowloon. From there I took the underground to Central in Hong Kong island, switch to another line towards Shau Kei Wan. I was quite please with my navigation decision until I looked at underground map snd realised that I have taken a much longer route than required. Why change a habit of a life time of having bad sense of direction eh?

Out of the underground station, I followed my friend Google maps towards the Smiling Shau Kei Wan Plaza. It took around 10 minutes from the station and its entrance is located on a side street which you wouldn't really see unless you know its there.  Now -  that are hundreds of similar Plaza/shopping mall like this in Hong Kong where interior spacing is circular formed with stores and market stands all around on each floor and the central area are the escalators going up to each level. There are also grids and grids of little shop selling all kind of stuff and services that you never know anyone would need.  This Plaza feels like it was stuck in the 1980s where everything looks old and tatty.  There is a restaurant on the ground floor with a few cafe which look lively, the shops above looks fairly dead with most of them closed or completely empty. I did wondered if I am at the right place.

Once I got to the top floor it all look a bit brighter.  A not very eye catching sign show me the way of the entrance.  To be honest if I didn't know what I was looking for I think I would have had a scan and thought nothing is on this floor and leave!  The entrance to the shop looks equally uninviting as it is a double fire door that looks more like 'staff only no entry' than a 'welcome please come in' kind of door.

Walking through the door came a loud 'beep'.  Shop staff/owner is right across the the entrance but there were no immediate acknowledgement like you normally do at any other shops in Hong Kong.  But I wasn't paying attention anyway as my jaw had already hit the ground. What we got here is a massive warehouse with rows and rows of every and any nostalgic, pop culture, geekcentric, nerdtastic toys and memorabillas that you might have seen and many that you don't even know exists.  Everything are organised and disorganised.  Just like the Michelle Yeoh Oscar winning movie, this is truly everything everywhere all at once.  The picture shall do the talking.

The were so much stuff I had to take a pit stop inbetween to have lunch.  I ended up spending 3 hours in the shop and took loads of photos! With my strong and powerful self control, I manage to not purchase a single thing as I dread carrying half the shop back with me to the UK.  Plus it will be difficult to explain to Christine why a Bruce Lee and Godzilla figure with a Sega Master System and 12 boxes of comic books are so important in my life right now.  I did left the shop a happy man feeling very glad that I been there and trigger lots of fond memories of childhood which makes me cherish it even more.

I finish my trip by taking the 'ding ding' (tram to me and you) to the North Point underground station to get home.  Its certainly a Hong Kong experience.  I never been on the HK tram before so I shot straight upstairs front seat to sit down likd a kid. Although the tram runs quite slow it does feel wobbly because they are quite narrow so it felt like it will topple over any second.  The tram line pretty much run all the way across the top of Hong Kong island.  The best part?  It costs $3 no matter how long or short your journey is, which is like 30p.  Bargain!   I managed to get home much quicker via a shorter route. What a day!

Until the next time!

Yatman

30/03/23