New Year Bookshop Opens in Mong Kok Amidst Trend of Bookstore Closures
Grace Lau, 41, launched New Year Bookshop in Mong Kok, investing a six-figure sum for a one-year lease, as small independent bookstores in the area have recently faced closures due to economic or political issues.
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According to the South China Morning Post, Grace Lau, who is 41 years old, put forward a six-figure investment to secure a one-year lease for her personal project, New Year Bookshop.
Small independent bookstores located in walk-up tenement buildings above brightly lit streets have historically served as a refuge for Hong Kong book enthusiasts, though recently, several have been compelled to shut down because of economic pressures or political instability.
In contrast to this trend, the 41-year-old bibliophile Grace Lau initiated New Year Bookshop, a decision motivated by her passion and lower rental costs, which some members of the community viewed as a significant risk taken for the local literary scene's future.
New Year Bookshop is situated in an upstairs shop on Sai Yeung Choi Street South in Mong Kok, occupying approximately 600 square feet. The shop opened on Sunday and currently stocks over 2,000 new and used books concentrating on subjects such as history, philosophy, and literature.
Titles by the Chinese poet Bei Dao and the Hong Kong literary figure Liu Yichang are displayed prominently, as both are personal favorites of Lau.
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