Pepe, thank you for identifying the name of the Eastern Model Supply Toy Shop. I remember this shop that sold kits for model airplanes, model trains and ships in bottles, but had forgotten its name. I do remember National Toy Company a few doors away, also in Katherine Building. Besides toys, it also sold inflated beach mattresses (lie lows as they were called) and other beach and pool accessories. The first shop in this building after Saifee Terrace sold all kinds of linen and embroidered goods. I can't recall its name but remember the black and white cat that would sit or lay outside the entrance, and the friendly women who worked there.
We lived in the building fronting both Nathan and Jordan Road, across from Evergreen. In this photo, the Clarks sign is visible, hanging at the first floor level. Jones Wong & Company sold Clarks shoes, clothing and swimwear apparel. The other retailer in this building was Lang's Music Store, sharing space with a vendor selling several pieces of furniture toward the rear of the store. The Gas Company occupied a showroom at the corner of the building.
We moved to Suffolk Road in Kowloon Tong around 1956, so was surprised (or had forgotten) to see so many shop signs at Saifee Terrace, especially the large sign that said Elite Ltd. This is more visible in the other photo of the same location that Moddsey posted. In the above photo of Katherine Building, I didn't recognize the sign under the first awning on the first floor. I could make out the name Peter but not what followed.
As mentioned in my previous comments above, National Toy Company was a popular store selling all kinds of toys, from Dinky cars to scooters, tricycles and inflated lie low mattresses for the beach or pool. I don't know how long this store remained in its location in Katherine Building. I did some research and came across the Hong Kong Free Press website that included historical photos showing lost landmarks along Nathan Road in the mid-1970s. The eighth photo down shows a building with a row of shops, including Cheong Chan, Emmanuel and Ten Ten. At the far left of this photo is a shop with a partially hidden sign that seems to indicate National Toy Company. I was unable to locate any street number for this building. I am wondering if this is the same store that occupied retail space in Katherine Building in the fifties and sixties. Here is the link to the website with that photo:
Comments
1950s Nathan Road
Pepe, thank you for identifying the name of the Eastern Model Supply Toy Shop. I remember this shop that sold kits for model airplanes, model trains and ships in bottles, but had forgotten its name. I do remember National Toy Company a few doors away, also in Katherine Building. Besides toys, it also sold inflated beach mattresses (lie lows as they were called) and other beach and pool accessories. The first shop in this building after Saifee Terrace sold all kinds of linen and embroidered goods. I can't recall its name but remember the black and white cat that would sit or lay outside the entrance, and the friendly women who worked there.
We lived in the building fronting both Nathan and Jordan Road, across from Evergreen. In this photo, the Clarks sign is visible, hanging at the first floor level. Jones Wong & Company sold Clarks shoes, clothing and swimwear apparel. The other retailer in this building was Lang's Music Store, sharing space with a vendor selling several pieces of furniture toward the rear of the store. The Gas Company occupied a showroom at the corner of the building.
We moved to Suffolk Road in Kowloon Tong around 1956, so was surprised (or had forgotten) to see so many shop signs at Saifee Terrace, especially the large sign that said Elite Ltd. This is more visible in the other photo of the same location that Moddsey posted. In the above photo of Katherine Building, I didn't recognize the sign under the first awning on the first floor. I could make out the name Peter but not what followed.
National Toy Company, 220 Nathan Road
As mentioned in my previous comments above, National Toy Company was a popular store selling all kinds of toys, from Dinky cars to scooters, tricycles and inflated lie low mattresses for the beach or pool. I don't know how long this store remained in its location in Katherine Building. I did some research and came across the Hong Kong Free Press website that included historical photos showing lost landmarks along Nathan Road in the mid-1970s. The eighth photo down shows a building with a row of shops, including Cheong Chan, Emmanuel and Ten Ten. At the far left of this photo is a shop with a partially hidden sign that seems to indicate National Toy Company. I was unable to locate any street number for this building. I am wondering if this is the same store that occupied retail space in Katherine Building in the fifties and sixties. Here is the link to the website with that photo:
https://hongkongfp.com/2018/08/02/hkfp-lens-historical-photo-set-highli…