North Point got the nickname of “little Shanghai” and “little Fujian” being a destination for many immigrants and refuges from Shanghai and Fujian seeking safe haven from the civil war era. The population had brought with them their own culture and habits which influenced the entertainment development of the area- as testified by the landmark State Theatre, amusement parks, restaurants, and dance clubs. Recent South East Asian immigrants also injected special cultural characters to North Point.

However, many of the “little Shanghai” characteristics have been disappearing, one of the few remaining stores being the Zhen Nan Noodles Making Factory, and the originally Shanghainess-run Tung Fuk Nam convenient store is now oeprated by Fujianese.

This tour aims to introduce and link North Point’s many-layered human connections, knocking down language and traditional barriers, through Shanghai and Fujian crafts.

As the guided tours are comprised of comprehensive details, interactive elements, and presentation skill – the website can only provide abstract of the tours, hardly able to capture it in full. If you are interested in joining our complete and themed tours, please stay tuned on our social media platforms!

Shanghainese and North Point

Shanghai New World Salon is a corner store in Wah Lai Mansion. Its symbotic interior design and vintage barber chairs are in display from its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Mr. Chui Ming Chun became a barber apprentice when he was 16. He opened his own salon after a few years in Mongkok Sincere House, and moved to the current location in North Point 16 years ago. (credits to participants)

Tak Hing Lung was established in 1955, first located on the ground floor shopfront of a Tong Lau, was forced to relocate when the Tong Lau was demolished in 2014. Luckily, there was a vacant store a few steps away, most of the furnitures were kept and the new store looks almost identical to the previous store.

One can see many traces of North Point’s history in Tak Hing Lung. But the store is not stagnant in development, the third boss Liu Lin Hing has since introduced new elements that compliment the original menu. (credits to participants)