For those who know Hong Kong, and for those who want to search for some hidden treasure, there is a place called AP Liu Street in Sham Shui Po where almost everyone knows in HK.
I have I been visiting there since I was very young. I used to go there twice a month mostly on Saturday even nowsdays.
There are a lot of things that would arouse my interests going there. There are hawkers selling old stuffs like watches, pens, Vinyl, old sex magazines, jades, coins and gem stones of all kind.
And over the past twenty years, they have opened a lot of new shops selling new Handphone, phone assessories, Audio Equipment maker Audio Space who has gained international reputation from their products. Shop that sell Vintage Vacuum Tubes, and you could meet some of private collector for vacuum tubes.
A new hobby of mine is the R/C flying machine... I used to get the latest one in one of the shops.
So if you want to go there, being a foriegners, there is a lot of fun shopping there. Those people are nice, price is negotiable with say less 20%, not like Lady's street that you can ask for less 50%!
Recently I had found a solid gold 18KT Tiffany Ball Pen with a good resonable price. How could I find it? Probably sixth sense!
Next time , put Ap liu Street a place you should go for an afternoon.
This is the map of Ap Liu Street where you can rough tell where you should go around.
The length of Ap Liu Street is about 300 metres. It would not take you 10 minutes to walk though, but some time it took me half a day to visit all the shops.
This is the place where the index is on the map.
Just Take Sham Shui Po MTR, following the exit C2 you can enter the middle of Ap Liu Street. I used to start from this as an entry.
On the Right of this we can see Ka Wo watch shop that has been running over 15 years. Refer to the following picture.
This one is on the right side of the Ap liu Street, Ka Wo Watch Shop who is doing repair, modification on your Rolex like switching the dial, they sell also Rolex Buckle, Rolex Dial of quite many colours but do not have that I need, of course! Who has Stella Green, Stella Red selling in Ap Liu Street?
Family business as husband is the watch smith, his wife and daughter is helping the shop.But I think if you do not know them they seem do not care about you!
Probably they are not too good at Cantonese. last time I even asked for the price of a Day Date light blue dial, the wife did not rely me., Well may be she is not willing to sell, or look at my way I dressed, she bet that I could not have the money to buy their dial. As she talked to herself " $13,000! Anyway, beware as they sell local made dial! Diamond Bezel...etc
Remember Rolex does not repair for any non-Rolex Dial, watch is not coming from original set-up.
Lung Shing Watch and Jewellery shop, that I have been visiting them for the past 30 years., I have seen them changing the front desk sales for many times!
They have solid track record of selling used goods, they have Rolex, PP, AP and Cartier in the front window. They have their own shop which belonging to one famous landlord.
Someone said their price is so high and solid., and I think that is the only disadvantage, no one has mentioned that there is a fake or FrankenWatch being sold. 100% confidence for us to buy! on the Left of Lung Shing is the Pawn shop that supplies Rolex for Lung Shing.
I like to visit and say hello to the guy there, though he may not know Who I am as I am the one always saying good about their way of doing business.
This is another view of Lung Shing, along the direction of the double decker Bus we can walk to ther other side of the Ap Liu Street MTR station than you can see another Pawn Shop which likely has been standing there for more than 50 years.
This is the Hang Ching Pawn Shop... In Hong Kong colloquial saying, if you have something to put in the pawn Shop and money to get it back, you are the "First Class People".
I am not first class as I believe I can put something there but no afford to pay the Interests to get the stuff back. As I know myself as Lower Class People of Hong Kong!
Now you know why I always call myself Sham Shui Po Snob!
You should note that there is a Small shop at the left side of the above picture, a shop whos' expertise is fixing Rolex and they do sell some of the Rolex and Tudor watches, buckles, croco strap, Pen, silvery stuff, gold coins, etc. The man in charge is the watchsmith, his wife and his pretty daughter is always there to watch for the shops.
They is a Parrot in front of the shop, she makes a lot of noise. if you a foreigners, she can speak your langauges!
When you walk in Ap Liu Street, we should look up once in a whilst to see some of the Old Building in this area, there is still a TV Antenna Array on top of the building.
They have those metal cage cubicle renting to those poor people at HKD$35 a square foot a month!
If you are lover for the audio, or you are an audiophile, you must not miss those shops like "Ming Kai", "Pak Wah Audio", "big HK Audio name "Audio Space" who has been providing one of the best Vacuum Tubes amplifer for HK, and China, and they have been running as OEM maker for Japanese, US and German audio makers.
Boss of Audio Space Dennis Lau is the one who used to ask me to sell some of my Rolex to him. but most of the time he said' Too Expensive" but he did sell two matched pair of "Expensive Telefunken ECC803 audio tubes to be with HKD$8,000" and I always can go there to cash! Tubes is Cash now!
If you are an Audio DIY, you must know the Wing Shing electronics, it sells all sort of electronics components...
This shop sells all kinds of aluminum hook, belt, chain, Security card holder...etc, Shop keeper is a Charming lady that everyone knows her selling technique. And you better ask no discount as her goods has been one of the best price already.
Don't look down this shops, although there are a lot of underwear, clothes handing on second floor that it seems , the "Kuen Kee" has been there over 30 years selling some of the most fabouous watch like Rolex, Cartier, Patek, Audemars Piguet, Diamond and Gold ornaments, the 300 square feet shop may have goods that has a value of HKD$20,000,000. Kuen Kee is one of the reliable source for you pre-owned Rolex, and there thye can find your Rolex, don't have to beg the Rolex AD to sell you., take your card there and get the watch immediately.
For those Rich people who gets a fortune in the "Ma Jong School" a name that HK has been used for aviod being caught by police long time ago, and now they have been a place that you can openly play Ma Jong as Gambling there. Of course, I have seen C9 (housewife called in a Colloquial way) lost the house, and husband, and even her body due to Ma Jong! and I have seen people who won some money and immediate went to Lung Shing to buy a Solid Gold Day Just for his "Sweeties". And Asked her back the watch in next round of Ma Jong whereby luck is not on him anymore. So if you still have a Rolex, go to this probbaly most hi price Pawn Shop at corner of Nam Cheong Street for quick Money. This building is owned by one gentleman and if they sell it, I think he can get a return from the developer for HKD$90,000,000.
A Ma Jong School that C9 and gambler used to go... to try their Luck! But to be honest, the luck is always on the School master, who teaches "ECONOMY". This is "Ho Kong Ma Jong School". You can not go inside if you are under 18.
if you had been walking too much in that day at Ap Liu Street, or you have won some quick money at the "Ho Kong Ma Jong School", or you have an late appointment for dinner, it is time that you could possible try the Massage in that area.
I really don;t know if they are called DUP, as some of the places may offer specail service like HJ, or something that goes between appetizer and the main course... that is the "Intercourse" ! well, they are well known to the locals.
I would rather like to spend more time in searching treasure...
Many people may know there there is a temple behind Ap liu Street, once in a whilst I went there and seeking the advice of the Buddah on my future.Well, superstitious!? No, it gives you a place which is of tranquillity in the midst of the noise city of Chaos.
At last, what did you find in this Ap liu Street! No!? You can call me.... I lead you there at least you find a freind like me there...for a cup of Ap Liu Street HK milk Tea.
Remeber Lung Shing closes at 7:00 and they start to check stock at 6:45. and most of the shop will close at 7:30. if you want to spend them there do it at 1:00, there is less people.
Also make sure your purse and wallet is well protected as there might be some international pick pocket trying to ambush on your pocket.
If you wear expensive watch Like Yellow gold Rolex Day Date, pass it to me, I can keep for you!...LOL!
Sham Shui Po Ap Liu Street Snob
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