‘Upstairs’ moves downstairs: Hong Kong outlets head to street level as landlords cut rents

    ‘Upstairs’ moves downstairs: Hong Kong outlets head to street level as landlords cut rents

    Retailers and restaurant operators in Hong Kong are rethinking how they use space as rents fall and demand weakens by moving back to street-level shops and experimenting with short-term “pop-up” leases. Hing Kee Java Edible Bird’s Nest (JEBN), known locally as “Lau Soeng” – Cantonese for “upstairs” – built its business by avoiding expensive street-front…

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    Workers remove the offending ad on Thursday night. Photo: Theads/jackyyu_6161

      Red faces at bureau after anti-drug advert sends opposite message

      Hong Kong’s Security Bureau has apologised for an advertising blunder in its anti-drug campaign, after a banner in a railway station appeared to encourage the use of illegal substances when viewed from certain angles. The bureau addressed the issue in a social media post on Friday, a day after an internet user circulated a photo…

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      Middle East tensions add uncertainty to Hong Kong retail rents, Wharf REIC says

        Middle East tensions add uncertainty to Hong Kong retail rents, Wharf REIC says

        Hong Kong’s fragile retail recovery is clouding the outlook for shopping mall rents, with Wharf Real Estate Investment Company (REIC) warning that rising geopolitical tensions could add further uncertainty even as visitor traffic improves. “Volume increase, however, was not often accompanied by commensurate yield increase,” the company said in its annual results released on Tuesday….

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