Scores of residents flocked to a cramped shop in Hong Kong’s old district to bid farewell to the city’s “king of umbrellas,” who is retiring after spending decades repairing umbrellas at his family business.
Established in 1842 during the Qing Dynasty, the Sun Rise Company was founded by the Yau family in Guangzhou.
Current proprietor Yau Yiu-wai, 73, announced earlier this month that his 183-year-old family business would close its doors at the year’s end.
Photo: AFP
The family-run shop has been passed down through five generations, but due to shifting consumer habits toward online shopping and his advancing age, it has to cease operations, Yau said on Friday.
“We’ve upheld our family’s reputation, and this legacy has come down to me... It truly pains me to end it,” the repairman said. “I’m sorry to my ancestors.”
After enduring wartime turmoil, the shop relocated to Hong Kong, eventually finding its place amid the bustling meat and vegetable vendors in Sham Shui Po district.
“[Today’s] wheel of time rolled over me and crushed me beneath its weight,” Yau said.
News of the closure spread across social media, with one user calling it “another loss of a wonderful community business.”
“He genuinely cared about selling customers a good, practical umbrella,” student Niki Lum said. “I could tell he put his heart into running this shop.”
Resident Peter Tam, 60, said witnessing the disappearance of these classic shops felt like the end of an era.
“It’s such a pity... These are all pieces of history,” he said. “And we ourselves are becoming history too.”
While most retailers rely on customers replacing damaged umbrellas with new ones, Yau said he aims for durability.
“This is for environmental protection. It’s a social responsibility,” he said.
Those who brought umbrellas for repair included couples hoping to mend their relationships and married couples who had used umbrellas as tokens of affection.
Yau said fewer than five repairmen like him remain in Hong Kong practicing this “barely profitable” umbrella trade.
However, Yau said he has no choice but to end the service he took pride in.
“I’m getting old. You have to forgive me, I just can’t carry on any more,” he said, adding that he had a stroke several years ago.
“The most important thing for you is to stay smart... and learn to be eco-friendly,” he added.
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