York Lo: Stereo(天然)– Photofinishing Pioneer Poster of Stereo Ltd from the 1960s listing its 7 branches and highlighting its complete continuous processing system (Photo Credit: Teresa Robeson) Before the rise of digital photography in the 2000s, photofinishing was a big business in Hong Kong. The first photofinishing chain in HK was not Fotomax (which was founded in 1982) but the […]
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York Lo: Pro-Quality Electronic (寶業電子) Left: PQE chairman Young Chi-wan; Middle: PQE vice chairman Cheng Wai-kuen; Right: PQE director Dominic Cheng Backed by the Young and the Cheng families behind the Miramar Hotel, Pro-Quality Electronic Co Ltd (hereafter refer to as “PQE”) was one of the largest electronics manufacturers in HK in the 1970s and the early 1980s with over […]
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York Lo: International Industrial Building (國際工業大廈) in Kwun Tong Left: International Industrial Building in Kwun Tong; Right: ad for International Industrial Building when it first opened in 1966 (WKYP, 1966-3-28) Located at 175 Hoi Bun Road in Kwun Tong waterfront is a 50 years-old, colorful 13 story factory building by the name of International Industrial Building (not to be confused […]
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York Lo: Finland, London and Swiss – 3 Ice Cream Brands from the 1960s Aside from Dairy Farm, On Lok Yuen and Yan Chim Kee which have been covered in earlier articles, three other HK ice cream makers from the 1960s were Finland Ice Cream, London Ice Cream and Swiss Ice Cream – all with European sounding names but 100% Chinese […]
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York Lo: Kwong Hing Tai (廣興泰) and Kwong Loong Tai (廣隆泰) Left: Advertisement of Kwong Hing Tai in 1941(陳大同編：《百年商業》，香港光明文化事業公司，1941) Right: Kwong Loong Tai Building in Cheung Sha Wan In June 2017, the 11 story Kwong Loong Tai Building at 1016-1018 Tai Nam Street in Cheung Sha Wan was put in the market with estimated value of over HK$1.2 billion thanks […]
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York Lo: Chung Kai Knitting (中溪織造廠) – maker of Eagle Pagoda singlets Ad of Chung Kai Knitting in 1955. Source: IDJ Chung Kai Knitting Factory, best known for its Eagle Pagoda (鷹塔牌) singlets, was a major player in the HK garment industry from the 1930s to 1960s before shifting its focus and production to Malaysia. Its founder Lun Chak-sum (倫澤森, […]
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York Lo: “The Prince of Garments”: Wong Mee of Sweetmart and Carlo Wong’s Factory Building in Tsuen Wan; Right: HK garment pioneer Wong Mee In October 2017, the 23 story Wong’s Factory Building (王子工業大廈) at 368-370 Sha Tsui Road in Tsuen Wan was sold for HK$1.23 billion. (Building was valued by HSBC at $80-90 million in 2005 according to court […]
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York Lo: Maui-Kong Ve-Pein (妙供味本廠) – Pioneer of the HK Gourmet Powder Industry Left: the pai portal of Maui-Kong Ve-Pein on Victoria Road in Mt. Davis today. Right: Maui Kong founder Chang Shun-yen in the early 1950s Near 406 Victoria Road in Mount Davis by the west coast of Hong Kong island is a Chinese pai portal obscured by trees […]
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York Lo: Tai Loong Weaving & Dyeing Factory (大隆織染廠) Tai Loong plant in 1961 in Kwai Chung (Land Use Survey, HKU Libraries) Tai Loong was one of the major pioneering weaving & dyeing factories in HK. The firm manufactured various colored fabrics under the Dear trademark, and in such varieties as homespun fabric, colored fabric, cohesive fabric and woven fabric. Chong […]
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York Lo: Ding-Tin Wong (黃丁田) and Tin Kee Noodle Products (田記製麵食品廠) Left: Tin Kee founder Ding-Tin Wong in the 1950s; Right: D.T. Wong (center) with the Governor and Lady Grantham at the Tin Kee booth at HK Products Expo in the 1950s. Sir Tsun-Nin Chau (first from left) and U Tat-chee (first from right) were also present. Aside from Pak […]
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