Watsons celebrates its 185th anniversary with a nostalgic concept store in Yau Ma Tei

A nostalgic new addition has arrived on the streets of Kowloon. Health and beauty giant Watsons is celebrating its 185th anniversary by throwing things all the way back to the 19th century, opening a vintage-themed heritage concept store on Nathan Road in Yau Ma Tei.

The new space channels the brand’s history as the first pharmacy in Hong Kong to introduce Western medicine, swapping its usual bright corporate aesthetic for a classic dispensary look. Visitors stepping inside will find the brand’s signature green colour paired with a vintage gold signboard, old-school posters, checkered floor tiles, and other interiors inspired by traditional pharmacies.

Aside from picking up your daily essentials, the shop has put together plenty of interactive elements to draw in the crowds. There’s a retro vanity corner with a wooden dressing table and soft lighting that’s perfect for selfies, a playful bathroom-themed zone, a traditional wooden medicine cabinet, and a free newspaper photo booth where customers can print a personalised front-page headline featuring their portrait after making any purchase.

To mark the launch, a collection of exclusive anniversary merchandise is debuting at the branch. This includes the limited-edition Watson mascot ‘Watjai’ plush series, organ-themed characters blind boxes, and special nostalgia-infused packaging created in partnership with household names like Bioré and Colgate. Other familiar retail names under the group are also getting in on the action, rolling out fun trinkets like light-box magnets inspired by the Park n’ Shop signage, a retro film camera from Fortress, and a bottle opener from Watsons Water.

Open daily from 10am to 10pm, the store is located at 485 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, right by Exit C of the MTR station.

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