Hong Kong Goldfish Market: Shops for threatened species threatened
Shop owners are happy to see more people, but would prefer seeing more money as well.
"I don't know any of the shop-owners here, but even if I'm not planning
on buying anything I still come here after work every day to walk
around. You can call it a habit or just something to keep myself
going," says Poon, who lives near Goldfish Market. While it costs to
visit Ocean Park, it's free to walk around Goldfish Market, and Poon
can get the same thrill from seeing exotic creatures. He can also learn
the names, biological traits, features and how to take care of the
creatures, if you ask nicely.
But not all shop owners are enthusiastic about offering free zoology lessons. “We want customers, not tourists,’’ says Ah Sing, one of the staff working at the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Many proprietors feel aggrieved by the government's HK$100 million plan to revitalize a big chunk of the Mongkok district including the Goldfish Market.
Gold fish -- what it all started from.
"Ever since the government came out with this big proposal to improve
the area, landlords here have been raising rents like crazy. Mine was
jacked up by 25 percent and he’s already the saner one compared to the
others. One of my neighbors who sells seaweed has had his rent doubled.
How can you expect us to survive?" says Great Barrier Reef Aquarium
owner Tsui. As with any family business, the pet store is more than
work for Tsui -- she raised two kids with the store and Goldfish Market
has become her life.
"People here just work hard. It’s not uncommon to see them working 13, 14 hours on a normal day," says Tsui. "We survived the financial tsunami when business was down more than 20 percent. It now looks like we may not survive these government policies."
Checking out fish tanks: father and son bonding activity that transcends cultures.
"The government wants to revitalize the area for tourists. But what are
the chances of a tourist buying a fish and bringing it home? If you
shut down the driveway for cars how can our customers move their goods
home? Maybe this government just has too much free time. They've
already destroyed the Bird Market. Now they're doing the same to Sneaker
Street. It's only a matter of time before they get to us."
Urban Jungle's Ah Hei goes about his daily tasks.While many shop owners can’t stand the high rent and are contemplating
moving out, others see it as an opportunity of a lifetime. John has
been operating Myth Aquarium for nearly half a year and is confident
that things can only get better with the economy recovering.
"Our
products come straight from Malaysia and it certainly helps that I
happen to be in the importing business myself. There’s no need to worry
about competition as long as you’re selling quality products," he says.
A ball python from Urban Jungle, worth more than HK$10,000.
Asked to recount his biggest sale so far: "There was this customer who
bought about 30 angel fish each priced at a few thousand dollars."
Despite such bullishness, John admits rents account for the biggest
share of his operating cost and business would be much easier had it
gone back to a more reasonable level.
Different species of tarantula can be found on Goldfish Street.
Although Lake Tung Ting is an aquarium shop, owner Sunny bowed to trends and started selling exotic reptiles.
Great Barrier Reef Aquarium (大堡礁水族)
G/F, 207 Tung Choi Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, tel +852 2787 3568
Myth Aquarium（神話水族）
G/F, 196 Tung Choi Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, tel +852 2380 0065
Urban Jungle (城市森林爬蟲專門店)
The Loft, 148 Tung Choi Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, tel +852 2380 7803
Lake Tung Ting (洞庭湖水族)
Shop 8-9, 3-13 Nullah Road, Mongkok, Kowloon
