iShop Wing Cheong Loong Metal Company

Decades of witness

Since 1943, Wing Cheong Loong has been here in Burrows Street. Owner Mr Chow has seen the neighbourhood change: “The biggest change was how there were so many dai pai dongs, restaurants and cinemas, very few cars. It was always busy, every minute there were people passing by. It’s gone quiet now, but the community spirit and intimacy have remained,” says Mr Chow, who grew up on this street helping his father out in the shop since he was a boy.

Hardware street

Wing Cheong Loong occupied a few units on the ground floor of 7 Mallory, now only their signage and a unit next door remain. Business was good in the old days, Burrow was a street filled with hardware shops; electrical appliances, tools, spare parts, carts and bicycles. For years, Wing Cheong Loong was the go-to shop on Hong Kong Island for metal parts. The industry may have faded but Wing Cheong Loong’s reputation remains strong.

Cycling & recycling

“When I was little, I’d grab one of the bikes and cycle in the block” says Mr Chow. Bill from Ho Wah also remembers how he helped his mum: “We’d bring the used carton boxes to Burrows Street and sell them to the recycling shop, then I could buy some ice cream!”