Residents bid farewell to century-old umbrella shop in Sham Shui Po
發佈日期: 2025-12-27 22:20
TVB News
Amidst a decline in business under a changing era, a century-old umbrella shop in Sham Shui Po, with roots tracing back to the Qing Dynasty, will close its doors by the end of the year. Some local residents visited the shop to bid farewell.
Yau Yiu-wai is known as the king of umbrellas. The 70-year-old master is meticulous about every detail of the craft, including the proper way to open and close an umbrella.
He is the fifth generation of this family business, which dates back to the Qing Dynasty.
Initially a shop selling daily necessities in Guangzhou, Yau pivoted to focus exclusively on umbrellas, establishing his store in Sham Shui Po for over 40 years.
His business has won the affection of the local community, offering a range of quality umbrellas priced from sixty to over a hundred Hong Kong dollars, as well as attracting expatriates.
One customer said: "I enjoy collecting umbrellas. I think I might give this one to my father. We come from a place that experiences a lot of monsoons."
Yau has been repairing umbrellas since his primary school days, having rescued over ten thousand umbrellas.
One of Yau's most memorable experiences involved an elderly couple who brought an umbrella for repair, which they had used during their courtship. It was not an easy task, as Yau had no access to the original materials.
When he successfully repaired it, he chose not to charge them, feeling deeply touched by their story.
Yau said umbrella was kind of a luxury products in the fifties, it cost at the time a couple of months' salary. It could be taken to the pawnshop for mortgage.
Today, some unbrella buyers have turned to online shopping from the mainland, where prices can start from just a few dollars.
Facing a declined business, Yau reluctantly decided to retire. As one of Hong Kong's last remaining "umbrella masters," he finds that the new generation is uninterested in acquiring his skills.
In the final days of the store, Yau is grateful that customers came to pay tribute one last time.
