Hundreds of Hong Kong shoppers flocked to the Fortnum & Mason outlet in Tsim Sha Tsui on Saturday for bargains ahead of its January 26 closure. The British department store announced the shutdown on Friday, drawing crowds in search of discounted luxury goods like teas and biscuits. Shopper Alvin Chan described the queue as orderly despite the two-hour wait.
On Saturday, hundreds of eager shoppers gathered at Fortnum & Mason’s Hong Kong outlet in Tsim Sha Tsui, the British department store renowned as the “king’s grocer.” The luxury retailer opened its first stand-alone shop in Asia here in 2019, following the 2017 closure of its Dubai branch. After announcing the closure on Friday for January 26, crowds rushed in for Lunar New Year gifts like teas and biscuits.
Staff cut off the queue two hours after opening. By 2pm, the South China Morning Post observed about 100 people lining the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. From 1pm, customers were turned away and advised to check the store’s social media for updates.
Hongkonger Alvin Chan, a logistics professional in his thirties, arrived at 11am with his wife and waited two hours to enter. They aimed to buy teas and biscuits but found many tea bags sold out. Chan spent about HK$2,500 (US$321) on items including Countess Grey loose tea leaves, stem ginger biscuits, and prosecco.
“We got here a bit late, a lot of the tea bags were gone,” Chan said. “There were discounts upon discounts. The brand’s own sparkling tea was a steal at just over HK$100. Our bags are now very heavy. It was very orderly in the shop, and it wasn’t chaotic at all.”
The event highlights challenges in Hong Kong’s retail sector, as the store once marked a key expansion in Asia.