This is another stop I had to make every time I am in HK. This place used to be caulk full of…read morevendors and little stores fill with anything video games. Since my last visit here 4 years ago, much of the stores have been closed. Many of the stores now have been taken over by phone, computers or even food stalls. I even saw one of stores were now an adult toy store, which is a very weird place to be. There are still plenty of choices to chose from, there were many businesses that have switch over to toys as well. I am both a toy and video game geek, so I was very happy. Unlike some of the other specialize areas of shopping in HK, like the computer shopping area has buildings and blocks having the same stuff. The Oriental 188 is very isolated, they do have one building fill with games and stuff, but nothing surrounding it. So if you are looking for a game hunting adventure that would last ALL day, you may be slightly disappointed. If not, fantastic place to go to.

BEWARE OF SCAM PHONE REPAIR HERE: IMPRESSION DIGITAL…read more They stole my phone! I dropped off a $1,000 Note 8 phone and they kept it! I went to get it the next day as they were to fix the glass and they were closed. They stayed closed for 2 days until they knew I was leaving Hong Kong. They STILL have my phone TWO months later and refuse to mail it to me, they laughed and said I should fly back to Hong Kong to get it as they were not spending money to ship phones. I even gave them my credit card number so I would pay for it -- and they have every excuse not to send it. Lamp Pui is the owner and she is impossible to deal with. She plays games, like blocking me from WhatsApp, not answering her phone or playing games on email. I just got the police involved and hope she gets arrested. DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING TO IMPRESSION DIGITAL AND LAMP PUI. (BTW: They didn't even fix the glass as the owner LAMP PUI claimed she "didn't know how to fix it.") BEWARE!

I'm in the US, and I searched hard to find a jeweler in Hong Kong that could design a men's gold…read morering that matched one that had been purchased in HK several years ago but had been lost. The store where it had been purchased was not really helpful, as they were not providing pictures of what I was seeking. Plus there were communication difficulties as well. However, Ellis was terrific in every way!!! They took the few pictures I was able to provide and designed a ring that looked almost exactly like the one that had been lost. They provided a reasonable price estimate, and then, after the ring was finished, actually charged me less than the full estimate, as it weighed a little less than they had expected--i.e., they went above and beyond to be completely honest. They waited to ship, per my instructions, and then the ring was shipped promptly and arrived quickly, after some customs paperwork. The ring is gorgeous, exactly what was wanted! This company was helpful, talented, and honest--should be at the top of everyone's list!!! I wouldn't hesitate to buy there again, and I hope to get to the store sometime too as I'm sure it would be a great place to shop in person.

Hong Kong has a lot of jewellery stores. Like Jessie J, we love the bling bling over here. However,…read moreif you want to get away from the chain store monstrosities selling solid gold sculptures of winged horses riding waves, but don't want to go as contemporary cool as platinum "art" stones the size of tennis balls, you can get your jewellery custom made. And for that, I can recommend only one place - Ellis in Wan Chai. Ellis Jewellery, named after the owner Ellis - quite possibly the nicest man in HK, sells a great number of standard pieces, from engagement rings, chains and necklaces, charms, cufflinks, you get the idea! However, Ellis' real talent comes in custom crafting jewellery from your ideas. What I mean by this is, you can take Ellis a sketch for a piece of jewellery, and he will translate your cigarette packet doodle into a practical, long lasting pice of art. He will also do all of this for a very reasonable cost compared to the big boys. Where on Earth can one get a one off custom piece for less than the production models that come in 20,000 piece runs? Ellis, that's where! I find buying from Ellis very refreshing, especially his very honest and trustworthy approach. A lot of businesses will try to up-sell, but not Ellis. I wanted to buy an item in platinum, but was actually told to have the piece made in silver as the more malleable metal would have given the item a longer life. The silver was about one tenth of the cost of the platinum, and though he lost out on a huge payday, Ellis' advice was completely right. He is also completely upfront with timescales. If your design takes four days to make, it will take four days to make. Not two days then "so sorry, come back in two more days". This makes him a hit with the tourists who are passing through, as well as those of us who leave shopping for an anniversary just that little bit too late! So if you are thinking of getting down on one knee, or wanting to to get something for a loved one, I thoroughly recommend Ellis. Committing your design ideas to reality is hard enough, but with Ellis guiding you, you will not be disappointed. And nor will that special someone!

Green Ladies is a social enterprise operated by Saint James' Settlement 聖雅各福群會…read more Their concept - reuse, restyle, empowerment. They welcome high quality second hand ladys' wear for consignment. My wife told me when her item is sold, she can have a maximum up to 30% rebate from the selling price. I agree this is a very good initiative. Let the unused dress in good quality to find a new home, save money, earned some money, and perhaps save the environment. Please read more from here - gl.sjs.org.hk Location: UG, CC Wu building, Wanchai, HK PS: they also have an outlet in Kowloon, too.

If there wouldn't be signs everywhere that this a second hand store.... well you would have issues…read moreto notice because the store is filled with great clothes and has a super pleasant look. Quite different to the stores I have seen in Germany. So give it a try, should be worth your money

Log-On is a great store to kill time in. They call themselves a lifestyle store with trendy…read moreproducts that includes stationery, gadgets, photography accessories, fashion, travel accessories, beauty and wellness products. Currently there are 13 LOG-ON stores in Hong Kong and this location is conveniently located inside the iSquare building in Tsim Sha Tsui. The store is clean and organized and there are plenty of employees around but do not pressure you to buy. I came into the store to just browse, but walked out with some beauty products that I think are slightly cheaper than what you might find at Sasa. It's a great store to find small gift items and greeting cards, they even offer snacks and drinks from around the world.

Cutest store EVARRR. I'm so sad we don't have one of these in America. There were so many wonderful…read moreand useful things, it was hard to choose what I needed to make room for in my bags. Also, be aware that not all Log-On stores are the same. Like any chain store, some have more loot than others. We went to one and thought it couldn't get any better, then went to another one and were even more wowed. This location was WOW number one. Aside from having things like pens, backpacks, phone cases and cameras, it also has somewhat of a drug store. They even have supplies for work/lunches for adults and children. My friend likened it to a smaller, cuter, better Target. Just GO!

Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. For two MTR Stations' distance, there is a…read morefamous Toy Street named Tai Yuen Street in Wan Chai. No matter how old we are, Tai Yuen Street can evoke our happy childhood memories. It is because every toy from the latest marvel heroes' figures, limited edition Japanese figures to Tin Toy are available there. Apart from toys, there is also a great place to pick up seasonal decorations. In the weeks before Chinese New Year, Halloween and Christmas, they sell festival decorations, party outfits, and accessories. In addition, many people in Hong Kong believe that good Feng Shui can attract prosperity and ward off bad luck. Feng Shui decorating can be found there. Honestly, there are just less than 10 toy stores in Tai Yuen Street, even it is known as a famous toy street. For someone who has a tight schedule during a business trip in Hong Kong Island, the location is perfect.

See, there are many things that I love about Hong Kong - all that density makes up for a diverse…read morescenery, and all that commerce means everyone is at each other's throats for your business. If you are a savvy shopper, you pretty much know where to go for certain things. I know that if you want remote control cars or airsoft guns, you hit Kwong Wa street (廣華街) - if you want Legos, you hit In's Point (現時點). If you want a crap-ton of Japanese figurines, you hit Richmond Shopping Arcade (皆旺商場) or Sino Centre (信和中心). If you like diecast display planes, you hit West Main trading (西幹線玩具) near Prince Edwards MTR. If you want diecast buses, that's 80M bus shop, which has multiple locations in the territory. If you got the money you can try hitting the spiral at Langham Place (朗豪坊) if you want to check out the latest fashion accessories from Shinjuku or Seoul. Me, I like collectibles - stuff like Rement food kits, F-Toys trade models, little double decker buses like the stuff that TinyHK (微影) put together. I enjoy collecting stuff like that for the display cabinet back in New York. Now, normally, you can hit Wonderland Superstores (奇趣天地) all over Hong Kong, but you could end up paying a lot, and their selection is often meh. That brings us to Tai Yuen street (太原街). If you know your Hong Kong history, you would know that Lee Tung Street (利東街) used to be right next door - it's a 3 block long street of little print shops and stores that were the go-to spot for doing wedding invitations. The Urban Renewal Authority of Hong Kong (市建局) tore that entire street down and replaced it with a shopping mall, which gentrified the place but also killed a crapload of those little businesses. The URA is not known for being nice and understanding to the little shop owners, and none of them were invited back. Basically, Tai Yuen is a peek at what that area looked like in the past, and frankly, the place is a freaking jewel. Just wait until past noon if you want to see stuff bloom here. First, check out the intersection with Johnson Road (where the Tramways run), the stalls in the middle sells all sorts of stuff like the Japanese fortune kitties. One of the stallkeepers there also has a really nice diorama of a Hong Kong Dai Pai Dong and a couple of buses, so thats cool. Then there's the toy stores. Well, there's really only, like 6, but if you have to choose one, check out Hung Hing Toys (鴻興玩具), which spans 2 storefronts and has nearly everything, from Gashopons, to Giant Robo figurines, to Legos, and to TinyHK/F-Toys/Rement figurines that I like so much. The others are still rather nice, but not as extensive as Hung Hing. You also got stalls with trinklets, bags, and stuff like that. Note that the usual crapload of cheap gaudy ugly Mainland products (ala Lady's night market) are kept to a minimum here. Next, continue down the block - wanna try some snake soup? Se Wong Sun (蛇王燊) makes a decent meal out of them. Now, if you continue on down, you'll hit the market area on Cross Street - keep an eye out for a classically Hong Kong treat - Smith's Orange Jelly candy (史蜜夫鮮橙花軟糖), which is made by Smith's Candy company (史蜜夫糖果廠) out in the New Territories. It's the flavor that most Honkers grew up with, and there are usually at leas one candy peddler with bags of candies and a scale. They sell them by the pound, and you can mix and match. Smith's makes an Orange jelly, a Melon jelly, and the classic nougat. Keep an eye out for the produce markets nearby. If you want a real Hong Kong treat, hit Cross Street until you get to Spring Garden Lane, and then look for Kam Fung (41 Spring Garden Lane) - it's a decent with fresh out-the-door Bolo and Cocktail buns, and one of the best pre-blended iced milk tea in the Central district. I hope you took photos, because this is probably as good as it can get in terms of outdoor markets. This is also about as good as Hong Kong can get.

Located on Leighton Road, this huge Jack Wills is well away from the hustle and bustle of Causeway…read moreBay. Its exterior, with the large shop windows and signature gold lettering, is recognizable from about a mile away. This outlet is the first and the biggest outlet in HK. Because of its size, it's really well stocked - you'll be able to find a good range of summer dresses, formal wear and accessories here. I love how spacious the store is - there's plenty of walking space and unlike many stores in HK where everything is so packed you just feel claustrophobic, this particular Jack Wills has the luxury of space and is very nicely laid out. Upon stepping into Jack Wills from its main entrance (there's another entrance that is closer to Times Square), you will notice that there are two floors and from there you can either walk up or down. The female section and accessories used to be on the higher floor, but a couple of months back they flipped it and now it's on the lower floor. I guess because there's slightly more floor space downstairs? I'm not sure. The style at Jack Wills needs no introduction - it's more geared at the younger (and richer - the stuff here isn't cheap!) population. It's really collegiate-y and very preppy. If you're into more Asian fashion and are inspired by Japanese and Korean look books, this probably is not what you're looking for. I kind of regard Jack Wills as a British Abercrombie & Fitch, and as with A&F, the prices here can run quite high. The plainest of t-shirts are at least $180 and you can expect to pay upwards of $600 for one of their iconic summer dresses. To be fair, the cutting of their dresses is extremely flattering and they come in all sorts of prints and colors, but I honestly don't think they're worth the price. Jack Wills has one of the coolest changing rooms I've ever seen - it didn't use to be this way when females' was still on the floor above, but ever since its relocation, the changing rooms are actual bedrooms, complete with Jack Will's signature pink and navy wallpaper and a bed! The last time I used their changing rooms was back in I think April, so I don't know if that's still how it is, but I was certainly shocked when I was led into a bedroom when I asked to try something on! Overall, Jack Wills is a nice place to do some window shopping. It's spacious, the staff are polite but not pushy and it never gets crowded. The prices run pretty high so other than a pair of shorts I've never actually bought anything here, but I'll still come by if I'm in the area just to take a quick look.

This is first UGG Australia concept store in Hong Kong. It's located at the corner of Yiu Wah…read moreStreet and Matheson Street in Causeway Bay. This UGG store carries UGG's classic twin-face sheepskin boots and range of footwear, handbags, apparel, outerwear and accessories. They even have baby UGG boots!!! I have seen UGGs at Lane Crawford with limited styles before, but this is UGG's first standalone store in Hong Kong. The store decor using UGG's global signature design and the brand's surf heritage elements . Amazing look store and great product selection.