iSurprise Mallory Street

An old shipyard

Mallory Street used to be near the coastline. An area filled with warehouses, ship-, timber yards and small stores selling dried seafood. As time went by the praya was reclaimed and the industrial activities made way for tong laus. Of the thousands of tong laus in Wanchai few remain today. Many were demolished in the 1980s, but 7 Mallory Street is a rare reminder of the neighbourhood's characteristic intimate streetscape.

Entertainment hotspot

In the 1960s and 70s Mallory Street precinct was very popular among local kaifong with restaurants, dai pai dongs, mah-jong parlours, theatres and lively street markets. People would come from far to the Oriental and Cathay Theatre, the Imperial Cinema and of course the Famous Ying King Restaurant on the corner of Johnston Rd and Fleming Rd.

The city at street level

“This pocket of three small streets between two busy roads has always attracted a unique, interesting combination of street level shops: hardware, clothes and food stalls. Quite different but somehow in perfect harmony with each other.” says Cheng Po Hung, a local historian