Stories from the Street: Des Voeux Road Central and the shops that keep it vibrant

STORIES FROM THE STREET Des Voeux Road Central and the shops that keep it vibrant A book by Walk DVRC Ltd.

街上的故事 德輔道中和為沿途注入活力的小店 本書由「行德」有限公司出版

Stories from the Street: Des Voeux Road Central and the shops that keep it vibrant A book by Walk DVRC Ltd. 街上的故事：德輔道中和為沿途注入 活力的小店 本書由「行德」有限公司出版

Introduction

Who we are

More than a century ago Des Voeux Road was Hong Kong’s bustling waterfront promenade known simply as ‘the Praya,’ or ‘next to the sea’. The place was the first point of arrival for merchants, labourers, artists and fortune seekers from Shanghai, Guangzhou and beyond. This book collects and shares the stories and thoughts of Chinese entrepreneurs and shopkeepers along and around Des Voeux Road Central (DVRC).

Through photographs, video and interviews, Walk DVRC Ltd. wants to showcase the vibrant culture of the street to highlight how this rich history should be preserved and celebrated.

Walk DVRC Ltd, formally established as an NGO in January 2017, has a vision for a more walkable and liveable Central Business District that begins with the revitalisation of a decaying Des Voeux Road Central. Walk DVRC aims to transform a key, 1.4 km stretch of road into a dynamic public realm worthy of a city of Hong Kong’s image and status. Walk DVRC’s mission includes linking this critical artery to the cultural and heritage sites that surround it.

In order to accomplish this, Walk DVRC has identified a two-block area, from Western Market to Hillier Street that could be closed to traffic for a 90-day period to demonstrate the benefits a city can derive when it values people and social inclusiveness over cars.

We spoke to shopkeepers and other stakeholders along Des Voeux Road Central to better understand their relationship to the street, to gauge reactions to pedestrianisation and placemaking initiatives and to educate the community on the advantages to wellbeing schemes such as this. The following pages represent a selection of these interviews.

介紹 百多年前德輔道中稱為寶靈海旁傍, 為香港繁忙的海濱之一，亦是大量由上海，廣州 及其他城市前來本港的商人、勞工、藝術家及尋找各種機會的人 的登岸點。這本書 收集及分享德輔道中人物故事，「行德」 期望通過照片、視頻採訪和錄影，把這段 路缊藏深厚的文化及歷史呈獻出來。

我們是誰 「行德」有限公司於2017年1月正式成立為非政府組織，其目標是建設一個更適 合步行和宜人的中央商業區，而首要是重塑日漸腐朽的德輔道中。 「行德」(致力為 德輔道中一段長達1.4公里的街道，設計成配得上香港形象和地位, 又充滿動感的一 個公共領域 。「行德」(的使命包括將這條關鍵動脈連接到圍繞它的文化和遺產所在 地。 為了實現目標，「行德」計劃在德輔道中從西港城到禧利街其中兩個路段來示範 關閉交通90天。這個活動希望能展示在城市規劃中以行人而非汽車優先和重視社會包 容性，公眾可獲得的裨益。 為此「行德」採訪了德輔道中的店主及其他相關人士，以便更好地了解他們與街 道的關係，以評估對行人專用區建議的反應。我們亦籍此教育公眾如可塑造舒適宜人 社區。以下是這些訪談的摘要。

Written and Photographed by Jacob Wong Interviews conducted by Dennis Tam Translated by Cynthia Wan Seal on cover carved and printed by Mr. Yam of Kingstone Engraving and Printing 1

Man Wa Lane a.k.a. Chop Alley 文華里 (圖章街) 2

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Mr. Yam - Chop Carver at Kingstone Engraving and Printing When chops were common, every person had at least three: one with their full name for official bank purposes, another with only a personal name for signing contracts, and a final one with only a surname to sign proof of deliveries.

Mr. Yam explained this to us from his booth on Man Wa Lane, known by locals as Chop Alley for its history of selling carved seals. Today, Mr. Yam is the last remaining person who carves chops on the street. Other stores now sell customizable rubber stamps and name cards. Even Mr. Yam provides printing services. There is still business to be made from tourists, but business is probably half of what it used to be.

任先生 - 雕刻師 在圖章盛行的年代，每個人至少擁有三種不 同的圖章：一個用於銀行的全名章、另一個用於 簽署合同的個人名圖章、最後一個姓章來簽署交 付證明。 於文華里擺賣圖章的任先生向我們解釋了這 一點，我們稱其為圖章街，就是因為它賣雕刻印 章的歷史。 如今，任先生是最後一個在這條街 上雕刻印章的人。 其他商店現在出售訂造橡皮 圖章和名片。任先生也提供印刷名片服務。雖然 這條街仍然有來自遊客的生意，但業務可能只有 過去的一半。

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Japanese tourists love coming to make chops because chop carving in Japan is much more expensive. Mr. Yam reminisced about a time when a Japanese calligrapher once commissioned him to make a chop. The calligrapher loved his stamp so much that he used them on all his artwork. As a gesture of gratitude for using his chop, Mr. Yam carved another stamp as a present for the calligrapher and mailed it to him. Later, Mr. Yam received a piece of calligraphy written with his shop’s name and signed with two red seals from the two chops he carved. 日本遊客尤其喜歡來這裡雕刻圖章，因為在日本這們手 藝非常昂貴。 任先生回憶起一位日本書法家曾委託他 雕刻圖章的故事。書法家非常喜歡他的圖章，他在他的 所有作品上都蓋上任先生制造的圖章。 為了感謝他的 支持，任先生為書法家雕刻另一個圖章，並當禮物送給 他。 後來，任先生收到一份寫有他店鋪名字的書法，並 用他雕刻的兩個紅色印章簽名。

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Mr. Yam used Walk DVRC’s Chinese name to demonstrate how he carves chops. As he carved, he explained that many tourists were unable to buy his bespoke chops because they could not wait for him to finish the carvings. He suggests that customers come back in an hour but this chop took less than half an hour to make. 任先生向筆者及同伴們即席示範如何將「行德」刻上圖章上。他表示部分旅客因爲 時間趕急等不到整個製作過程而不能購買他所雕刻的圖章。他通常建議客人一小時 後來提取製成品，但實際上他只需少於半小時的製作時間。

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Mr. Chan - Gilman Street Shoe Cobbler

陳先生 - 機利文街鞋 匠

Mr. Chan has been in the shoe business for over sixty years. He now only mends shoes, but he used to make them.

He stared shoemaking at the age of thirteen and spent three years as an apprentice. One service he provided was copying the styles of existing shoes. Armed with a store name and address, Mr. Chan would visit various shoe shops at the request of his customers. By entering a store and just looking at the shoes, he would be able to replicate the styles with better materials and craftsmanship.

He and his wife now run his stall on Gilman Street. The road on which they have set up shop used to run through what has become The Center, one of the world’s most expensive office buildings.

Straining her voice, Mrs. Chan wanted us to know that when the sun beats down in the afternoon, there are times when all she wishes for is a swift death.

Their street, however, is considered one of the well-ventilated ones. Other lanes, Mr. Chan argues, are much hotter.

On the weekends when he is not working, Mr. Chan likes to go to the airport to stroll and sit around. Not only is there air conditioning, there is also a nice shopping mall food court. He says that when you’re at the airport, there is no fear of typhoons and heavy rain, and it only costs him four dollars for a round trip from where he lives.

陳先生進鞋匠業已有六十多年。雖 然他現在只做補鞋生意，但他以前會幫 顧客製作新鞋，並花了三年時間當鞋匠 學徒。他之前提供的一項服務是複製現 有鞋子的款式。陳先生會根據客戶提供 的商店名稱和地址，參觀各種鞋店。他 只需要看一眼鞋子，便能夠用更好的材 料和工藝複製一雙新鞋。 他和他的妻子現在在機利文街上開 鋪。機利文街以前將皇后大道中和德輔 道中連接，但是中環中心落成後把街道 劈開成兩段。 陳太緊繃着聲音告訴我們，在陽光 猛烈照耀的日子，她真想 一死了之。然 而，陳先生認為這段路已比其他街道通 風，其他街道更酷熱。 陳先生喜歡週末去機場閒逛。 那邊 不僅有冷氣，還有一個不錯的美食廣 場。 他說，當你在機場時，什麼狂風大 雨都不用擔心。從他家搭車去機場只需 花費四元。

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Now, his worktable is over fifty years old, and his sewing machine is even older. Back when he started, the sewing machine cost him HKD$500, a huge investment when a meal only cost 30 cents. 現在，他的工作桌已超過五十年了 , 縫紉機甚至更老。他以五百港元買這台縫紉機， 那時候是一項巨大的投資。當年一頓飯只三豪。 14

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This fruit seller stall is on Tung Man Street and faces Des Voeux Road Central. Like Gilman Street, this street used to run from the waterfront, crossing Des Voeux Road and Queen’s Road Central but is now cut in half by The Center. 這個水果攤位位於同文街，面向德輔道中。 這條街與機利文街平行，一樣被中環中 心切成兩半。 22

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Yiu Hing Lung - Dried Seafood Seller

耀興隆 - 乾海鮮貨店 店主

When we approached the boss for an interview, her once-welcoming saleslady facade evaporated to reveal a tense and slightly hostile demeanor. Her attitude was quite typical of many people we approached along the road -- a response we had expected given the recent deluge of scam-related activities reported in the local news.

當筆者邀請海味舖店主接受訪問，她收 斂了一開始的友善笑容 ， 變得有點防範 和敵意。她的態度跟我們接觸許多人相 約。是我們預期的反應，可能因為最近 在新聞報導了大量與詐騙相關的活動。

We introduced ourselves and provided Ms. Lung with a pamphlet which she promptly threw on the floor. She was afraid pedestrianization would negatively impact her business. When we asked why, she explained that loading and unloading was an important aspect of her business. Dried seafood sellers in this area make most of their money importing and exporting, with many locating their warehouses along and around Wing Lok Street. Once we explained that our project would definitely provide solutions for the delivery of goods, Ms. Lung picked up our brochure and agreed to speak to us. Camera shy nevertheless, she kindly allowed us to take photos of her wares.

還好，當筆者遞上名片及「行德」小冊 子，店主逐漸放下戒心，讓筆者作簡單 的自我介紹，並表達了她的一些想法。 她擔心設立行人專用區會嚴重影響她的 生意額。她表示，沿著永樂街的海味舖 都需要在街道上進行上落貨。老闆娘面 對鏡頭有些愐腆，不願出鏡，只讓我們 於店內拍攝照片。

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Japanese Sea Cucumbers

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Lingerie Seller Wing Kut Street In the 70s and 80s, this lingerie seller’s mother supported an entire family from this one stall. Her mother is now in her eighties. When her mother began to find crouching down and standing hard, she was asked to help out at the booth. At first, she did not want to come and help her mother because she was afraid of the harsh working conditions. She gave in, however, understanding that if they could not consistently open the store none of their customers would come back.

Even back then, work on the street was never easy or stable. In heavy rain and when there are typhoons there is no income. She says that working the stall is still better than doing manual labor.

She says that everybody knows of Li Yuen Street East but nobody knows of Wing Kut Street. The only famous destination on the street now is the Lemon King, a candy-selling street hawker which is now a permanent walk-in shop.

The adjacent street is famous for Jenny’s Bakery. Tourists who stay in the hotel nearby are quickly bored of surrounding sites, so they only stay for a few days.

Business is so bad on the weekends that the entire street shuts down. It’s not because she’s lazy, she says, it’s because there is no business to be made. Most of her customers work in the area and come during weekdays. She hopes that a pedestrianized Des Voeux Road Central will bring her more customers.

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內衣店店主- 永吉街 在七十年代和八十年代，這家內衣 店由店主的母親一手經營，支持整個家 庭的生計。現在她的母親已經八十多歲 了。作為長女，她開始幫母親開檔因為 母親蹲伏和站立有困難。她們明白如果 不一直維持打開商店，他們的顧客會逐 漸流失。 即使在過去，街擋上工作從不輕 鬆和穩定。下大雨或有颱風一定沒有收 入。但她說，在攤位上工作仍然比做體 力勞動更好。 她說大家都知道利源東街，但沒有 人知道她們這邊開檔的永吉街。 現在街 上唯一的著名熱點是檸檬王。以前，檸 檬王是一個賣糖果的小攤檔。現在是一 個正式商店。相鄰的街道以珍妮曲奇餅 而聞名。她認為住在附近酒店的遊客很 快對周邊環境感到膩倦，他們只逗留幾 天。 週末的生意很差，整個街道水靜 河飛，很多店鋪都關閉。 她說，這不是 因為他們懶惰，而是因為週末生意太淡 靜。 大多數客戶都在該地區工作，在 上 班日才來這裡。 她希望德輔道中的行人 專用區能為她帶來更多顧客。

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Red Packet Seller Wing Kut Street This red packet seller has been on the block for ten years, inheriting her father’s business which had previously run for sixty years. Her father used to carve chops in all sorts of traditional and ancient writing styles. She watched with her father how Central changed over the years. She can remember the times when she could walk to “the electric tram road” - DVRC - and see the harbour, a time when the plot of land where Nan Fung Place now sits used to be right on the harbour’s edge.

紅包店店主 - 永吉街 這個紅包店主已經在這條街區做了十 年，繼承了她父親以前經營了六十年的 攤檔。 她的父親是以前專門制造傳統和 古代寫作風格中雕刻印章。 她和她的父 親一起看著中環及上環多年來的變化。 她還能記得那時候能走到「電車道路」德輔道中 – 可看到海港的時候。南豐廣 場現在坐落的土地曾經是港口的邊緣。

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She chooses which types of packets to stock based on the needs of her customers.

Lunar New Year or not, her stall is always ready to sell red packets. She sells packets for weddings, birthdays, and more generally, for luck and wealth. 她根據客戶的要求采購紅包類型的存貨。 無論是農曆新年與否，她的攤位總是準備 賣紅包。 她賣的紅包都是以運氣和財富為主，為婚禮和生日之類的慶典 之用。 40

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She points at seals her father had previously carved. Some of the seals are Japanese. She gets very excited identifying and teaching how Chinese surnames are written in the ancient stamping script. She believes that all Chinese should at least be able to read and identify characters like this because they are part of a person’s history and identity. 她指著那些她父親所雕刻的圖章，有些是 刻上了日本字。看著那些從前所雕刻出的 文字，她雀躍地教導筆者與同伴如何分辨 不同的古代字體。她更認為身為中國人是 有需要能閱讀這些的字體，因為這是我們 一部分的歷史及身分認同。 42

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Mr. Chan - Western Market Clothier At the peak of custom-tailored suit demand in the 70s, there used to be about 50,000 tailors in Hong Kong. Just as there was a large market for tailors, there was also a large market for the fabric tailors used. Back in the day, tailors had so much business that they had to work until three in the morning.

Since then, parents have encouraged their kids to enter other trades that are less laborious.

Mr. Chan is a clothier who sells suit-making fabrics. His customers today keep coming back because they know that his fabrics are of high quality, durable and comfortable even after going through the wash. The fabrics come from England, Europe, Italy, America, Spain, Germany, and even Japan. The vast majority of fabric in the store comes from England because Mr. Chan says that they are the best.

He says that we should not worry about taking up his time because he says that there is little business to be made in any case. He sits in the back of the store to eat lunch and moves back to the front to continue reading his newspapers and, later, continue listening to the radio.

As opposed to gambling, playing soccer or eating and drinking his money away, he uses this shop as a mechanism to schedule his daily routine. He lives off of government subsidies and laughs at the thought that others believe he earns money from his business. He says that when he makes a few sales he uses his earnings to replenish his stock, albeit to a standard much lower than the wide variety his store could offer before.

He really appreciates the work and progress the Hong Kong Government has made in taking care of its elderly. His 44

monthly allowance enables him to grab takeout.

As we prepared to leave, he wished us the best of luck in earning money for the betterment of society. Cheekily, he hoped that our tax dollars would find their way to him!

陳先生 -西港城服裝店 店主 在70年代癲峰時期，香港有約五萬名 裁縫。不只裁縫市場大，賣布家的市場也 很大。 當時，裁縫生意好到他們必須工作 到凌晨三點。 因為裁縫的生活很辛苦，所 以父母都鼓勵他們的孩子投身其他行業。 陳先生是一位出售西裝面料的商人。 他的老顧客喜歡到他店買布料料因為他們 知道他貨品質素好 、又耐用、又舒適。 料子來自英國，歐洲，意大利，美國，西 班牙，德國，甚至日本。 商店裡的絕大多 數布料來自英國，因為陳先生認為他們質 素最好。 他說我們不需擔心佔用他的時間，反 正他開這家店也沒什麼忙。他在商店後面 吃午飯，然後回到前面繼續閱讀報章和聽 收音機。 每天開店讓他生活有規律。他覺得開 店比賭錢，踢足球或花錢喝酒更滿足。他 靠政府補貼生活，對別人以為他是從他的 生意中賺錢的想法為 之發笑。他會利用店 鋪微薄的收入來補充貨源 。但他現在售賣 的貨色已大不如前。 陳先生對香港政府的長者政策甚為滿 意，因為他可以用政府每月發放給他的錢 買外賣。 當我們正在離開的時候，陳先生祝愿 我們 可以以從事推動社會進步的工作謀 生,，,亦希望納稅人的錢可令他受益。

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Pottinger Street Tailor

石板街裁縫

This tailoring supplies shop opened in the 1950s.

The current owner’s father was the first generation to enter the trade. She mentioned that it is not a lucrative business anymore and believes that few people are interested in handicrafts.

She doubts the youth of today have even seen the tools she sells, a reality not hard to imagine when all she sees are people glued to their phone screens.

這間售賣針織刺繡用品的排檔的檔主 表示她父親於1950年代開始經營這排 檔。檔主表示，這個再不是利潤豐厚 的行業。她想信只有少數人對這些手 工藝感到興趣，她認為一些年輕人也 許未見過這些傳統的工具。她說現實 是，人們只把注意力投放在他們的手 機屏幕。

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Other storekeepers further down the street declined interviews, claiming that the street had already been publicized enough and that, collectively, it would be a waste of time to interview them at all. 沿着街道前方行，不少的店主都婉 拒了訪問的邀請。他們都表示這街 道以前已被報導了不少，再訪問只 是浪費時間。 52

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Mens Underwear Seller - Li Yuen Street East A men’s underwear seller on Li Yuen Street East said he has carried out his business there for over thirty years.

He repeatedly explained that their trade and customers are disappearing. While less people may be buying his wares, he said that there continue to be many tourists on the street - people can barely walk through at peak hours.

He proclaimed that tourists who had never walked down Li Yuen Street East and West could not claim that they had visited Hong Kong.

男士內衣店主 - 利源東街 檔主表示，他已經營這個男士內衣排檔逾三十年。他重 複地說他們的行業和客戶逐漸委縮。他說縱使這條街道 依然有 很多遊客慕名而來，繁忙時段水泄不通 ，但光顧 他的人已很少。在他眼中，假如外地遊客沒有到過利園 東西街，根本稱不上來過香港。

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Newspaper Seller Unruffled by the heat, this newspaper seller sat on her makeshift perch watching us struggle to fend off passersby while we interviewed her. She has been selling newspapers, cigarettes, gum and water on the street for ten years. She was concerned about the impact of pedestrianizing DVRC on her business and was worried that the rerouting of busses would disrupt her loyal, daily customer base. Pondering the future of the road, she suggested that private cars should be banned as they are space inefficient and so contribute to congestion unnecessarily.

報紙擋擋主 酷熱的天氣、人來人往的德輔道中的行人 道，一個女報紙檔檔主從容不迫,坐着她自 家搭建的木箱，看著筆者與同伴於德輔道 中擋開途人，尋找願意接受訪問的對象。 十年來，她在這段攘往熙來的街頭上努力 地賣着報紙、香煙、香口膠還有樽裝水。 當提及將德輔道中改變成為行人專用區的 計劃時，她開始擔心她的生意會否被影 響，擔心巴士改道會減低她的「熟客」。 對於這段她所熟悉的德輔道中的未來，她 建議應禁止俬傢車行駛，因為俬傢車的空 間使用效率低，造成不必要的塞車

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Used teabags populate the periphery of her stall. She dries them out in the sun and amid the lingering bus exhaust fumes to use as makeshift dehumidifiers to help with the storage of her paper goods. 報紙檔周邊放著數個的舊茶包。這些人們視為垃圾的物 品，經過太陽光的烘囇下，成為報紙檔的吸濕好幫手。

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Conclusions

總結

Walk DVRC believes in the importance of stakeholder engagement. While a limited number of people were interviewed about their thoughts about a pedestrianized DVRC, there is still much to be learned from them.

The majority of staff in brick and mortar stores felt inhibited as to what views they could share given that they did not own the stores themselves, which is why the street hawkers are heavily represented in this book.

It is clear that each stakeholder has a unique relationship to the road and thus has unique concerns about its future. Towards the western end, clothiers in Western Market were receptive to a pedestrianized Des Voeux Road but doubtful that it could attract business or increase the appetite for their wares. Wholesale dried seafood stalls were understandably cautious but nevertheless intrigued by a pedestrianization scheme which would not affect loading and unloading of goods. Hawkers in lanes along DVRC around Sheung Wan were generally supportive of a pedestrianization scheme because they could see how it could encourage customers further away to travel to their stalls week-round. Farther east toward Pedder Street, hawkers were ambivalent to changes because their businesses continue to thrive from tourists and locals.

The process of creating this book was enlightening. To have educated those around DVRC about the potentials of pedestrianization and to have recorded the living oral history of those on the street has given us the opportunity to share the vibrant culture of Hong Kong as it is, as it was, and to ponder what it could and should be. To understand that Des Voeux Road Central is a web weaved together by unique individuals should give the people of Hong Kong great hope, because it is through individuals that positive change for the entire community can be made.

「行德」相信持份者參與的 重要性。 雖然訪問的人數有限數 量，我們都可以從他們的故事獲益 良多。由於大部份的商鋪經營者都 不是的該單位業主，他們可能較少 機會暢所欲言，所以這本書特意為 他們給于多些篇幅。 正因每一位店主對德輔道中 的關係獨特，他們對這段路的未來 都有不同的關注和希望。比如， 位於德輔道中西端西港城内的服裝 店商很喜歡行人專用區的概念，但 他們不肯定這計畫是否會吸引更多 顧客和商機。 另外，乾海鮮攤店 主對行人專用區計畫有些保留因為 它們不清楚這計畫會對上落貨的影 響。大多數在上環開業的小販都支 持這計畫，因為他們覺得這會幫他 們吸引更多顧客。東邊的畢打街小 販對建議有所懷疑， 因為他們的 生業一向不俗。 編寫這本書的過程很有啟發 性。 通過街頭訪談讓更多人了解 德輔道中改造為專用區在的潛力， 亦讓我們有機會以口述歷史紀錄德 輔道中,充滿活力文化的古今以及 探索和發掘它的未來和可能性。 德輔道中是每一個由獨特個體編織 而成的網絡，透過個人的參與可望 為整個社會帶來積極正面的改變。

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walkdvrc.hk 行德 WALK DVRC (852) 3971 0106 info@walkdvrc.hk 23/F Chun Wo Commercial Center, 23-29 Wing Wo Street, Central, Hong Kong 中環永和街23-19號，俊和商業大廈23樓