There’s more than just heritage sites and art galleries at the former Central Police Compound
While there are tons to check out at the much-anticipated opening of Tai Kwun from “cell-fies” to immersive art installations, as well as exciting new restaurant openings, the Central heritage and arts hub is also home to an array of unique independent shops and workshop venues. They’re more than just your standard souvenir and gift shops. Here’s our pick of best shops you can’t miss when you’re visiting Tai Kwun.
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A unique concept store that brings botany and art together – hence, Bonart. This lifestyle shop offers a range of gorgeous and sustainable plants placed in beautifully designed bottles and containers. Aside from ready-made terrariums, the Tai Kwun location is its first botanical art experience shop, meaning you can try your hand at making your own terrarium, as well as soy candles, soap pop, pressed flowers and DIY skin care at its litany of workshops.
Founded in 1991, LockCha is a renowned local tea brand that offers premium, top-of-the-line Chinese tea. Its new flagship store at Tai Kwun sells more than just its usual high-quality tea items, it’s a shopping hub offering arts and crafts products and fashion pieces too – think Chinese-inspired apparel, printed scarves and Yixing clay teawares. Make sure to pop over next door to LockCha TeaHouse to tuck into some healthy vegetarian dim sum and savour its brewed traditional teas.
Looking for the perfect pair of oxford shoes? Make Lottusse your next destination. A heritage leather brand established in 1877 in Mallorca, Spain, the four-generation-run family business launches its first Hong Kong store at Tai Kwun, bringing its well-crafted and quality leather shoes, bags and other leather goods with British roots and Mediterranean influences perfect for Hongkongers to spruce up their wardrobes. You’ll find everything from loafers and blucher shoes to heels to impress for the ladies. Pick up your next favourite pair of shoes that will last for decades.
Scheduled to open on July 2, Taschen is a world-renowned art-book publisher known for its eye-popping coffee table books spanning art, design, fashion, photography and a whole lot more. Get ready to dive into the pages of the glittering worlds of art and culture as Taschen transport its impressive collections to the Tai Kwun courtyard. This 1,300sq ft Hong Kong flagship store, and the first in Asia, houses curated shelves of llustrated books covering a diverse range of topics and aims to host talks, book signings and cultural events in the coming months.
Touch Ceramics is a ceramics workshop slash art gallery. Boasting a large, minimalist space complete with long wooden tables and pottery wheels, Touch Ceramics invites you to take part in the Hong Kong ceramics art scene by creating your own porcelain masterpiece with its pottery classes and workshops. Expect talks from famous creators at the gallery, which also showcases ceramic art by local and international talents. Visit the space for its inaugural exhibition featuring works by Sara Tse.
The Tsim Sha Tsui concept store dedicated to all things Vincent van Gogh branches out into Tai Kwun, bringing with it an array of gift ideas for visitors and fellow art lovers. At this shop you’ll find curated gift combos featuring some of Van Gogh’s most iconic works including Sunflowers, Almost Blossoms and The Starry Night on various confectionery, teas and coffees, as well as flower bouquets inspired by said paintings. Designed with Van Gogh’s works in mind, the shop is also filled with natural light and floating butterlies – a tribute to Poppies and Butterflies – there’s also a Sunflowers Wall perfect for Instagramming.
Get the lowdown on the space and what highlights to expect in the opening months.
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