Crowds packed all three floors of the store at Dragon Centre, with shoppers eager to take advantage of last-minute discounts, according to South China Morning Post.
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Sincere Department Store’s Sham Shui Po outlet. Photo by Brad via Tripadvisor |
With the closure, Sincere Department Store has two outlets left in Mong Kok and Central.
Established in 1900, Sincere was Hong Kong’s first Chinese-owned department store and is still one of the city’s oldest retail groups.
The shutdown of one of its last stores therefore stirred emotions among many loyal customers.
Farewell messages were displayed at the entrance and throughout the store, prompting customers to stop and take photographs during their final visit.
“We have gone through three decades of good times with many warm stories … It’s a pity we can no longer continue this journey,” read one note written in Chinese.
A farewell notice displayed at the entrance read, “We are deeply saddened that we can no longer walk this journey with you.”
A banner at the store confirmed that Jan. 4 was its final day of operation, accompanied by a message titled “All Meetings Have an End,” according to DimSum Daily.
The notice thanked loyal customers for their decades of support and read, “Thirty wonderful years have created countless warm memories. We are grateful for your companionship that lit up Sincere’s lights. Though we can no longer continue together, we part with deep reluctance and heartfelt thanks. Until we meet again.”
Retiree Wong Kai-kee, in his 70s, travelled from Sha Tin with his wife on the final day, taking selfies and purchasing clothes.
A long-time member of the chain, Wong said he had been visiting the Sham Shui Po branch for more than 20 years.
“It is more convenient to buy some high-end apparel here,” he said. “It has product varieties that are not available at other department stores.”
Joyce Chu, a clerk working in the social welfare sector, said she had shopped at the store for six years since moving to Sham Shui Po.
“It’s a pity for the store to close … it has been here for decades,” said Chu, who is in her forties, after buying snacks there for the last time.
She blamed the decline of long-established retailers on the growth of cross-border shopping and e-commerce, noting that online platforms often offer lower prices than local stores.
Many customers, however, came only for the discounts. Merchandise was offered at deep price cuts, while shelves that once held furniture and food were mostly bare.
Large crowds gathered at the counters selling umbrellas and clothing, rummaging through the remaining items for bargains.
Sincere was founded by Ma Ying Piu and his friends after they returned to Hong Kong from Australia, where they had earned a living selling bananas.
The company was a trailblazer in Hong Kong’s retail sector, becoming the first to employ female shop assistants, introduce fixed pricing without bargaining, and issue official receipts.
In the 1980s, Sincere and its main competitor Wing On, founded in 1907, agreed to open on alternate Sundays so staff at both stores could enjoy regular days off.
Although retail remained its core business for decades, Sincere began posting heavy losses in the 2010s as consumer habits shifted and its image was increasingly viewed as outdated by younger shoppers.
At its peak in 2016, the company operated at least six department stores across Hong Kong.
