Cynthia Leung – Hysan 95

Cynthia Leung

Owner, Cat Store

It all started 18 years ago when my partner ‘Ah Mao’ (Cat) and I had an vintage store on Percival Street. She collected a lot and we soon ran out of space. We decided to sell the pieces and looked for stores above street level so rents would be cheaper. We ended up being the pioneers of a movement we now know as “upstairs stores.”

As we spent a lot of time at the store, we brought our two cats from home. Customers would want to stay and chat because it was so cosy. We would offer coffee and milk tea at first but we got requests for more food and that’s when we extended the menu. Eventually, people would call us for advice when they found stray cats and so we started to take them in and adopt them. Our family grew and slowly, the cat cafe atmosphere evolved and improved when we later added music.

We first opened in 2000 and even though we’ve moved five times, we’ve always stayed in Causeway Bay. We thought of opening in Tsim Sha Tsui as some of our customers come all the way from the New Territories but it’s a little too touristy and Central is too commercial. We love Causeway Bay for its convenience as it’s easy to access but also it has a young image that attracts the type of customers we want. Our busiest times are weekend afternoons, when you’ll see people from all walks of life from families with toddlers to elderly people in their 60s or 70s.

We love being here. Causeway Bay has an international vibe but also a very strong Hong Kong one too. Our customers keep coming back. A teenage boy once came in with a girl and he told me the first time he visited, he was carried in – because he was just a baby at the time. A few times when we moved, some of customers took time off to help us move, paint and pack.

“People would call us for advice when they found stray cats so we started to take them in and adopt them. Our family grew and slowly, the cat cafe atmosphere evolved.”

“We hope that Causeway Bay retains those special features that are so Hong Kong.
I miss that warm and homey feeling.”

There are eight cats here and at our old place, there were about 16. They’re really cute and people like them because they’re relaxed and lazy but have a lot of personality. Some people think they’re snobby but it’s because they are only close to people they feel familiar with so when they do finally show affection, it’s like you’re on a higher level because they’ve “chosen” you. When they cling to you, your heart just melts.

Rent in Causeway Bay has always been expensive! It’s a very different Causeway Bay now. Back then, there were many more independent boutiques but now there are more franchised or brand name stores and it’s really challenging for us. We’re really fighting on but we can’t afford to buy real estate. This is a passion of mine so we’re determined to continue with our business.

We hope that Causeway Bay retains those special features that are so Hong Kong. I miss that warm and homey feeling from more traditional stores such as wonton noodle shops, diners and bakeries. I grew up around here and we would recognise the little oldies around the area.