Marks & Spencer Hong Kong plans giant new store

UK department store Marks & Spencer is planning to open one of its largest stores in Hong Kong early next year in Cheung Kong Property’s Wonderful Worlds of Whampoa centre in Hung Hom.

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, California Fitness is vacating its space in the centre to make way for the new Marks & Spencer Hong Kong store, which will take up at least 40,000 sqft (3700 sqm). Other smaller tenants will also be moved to make way for what will be M&S’ 24th store in the territory.

Helen Mak, senior director of retail services at Colliers International, told the SCMP Whampoa has been “a missing district for international brands” in the past.

“With the new MTR station in place very soon, the landlord sees more chances for retail business.

“It is more of a consideration of adding diversity to the existing mall, from landlord’s point of view,” Mak said.

The Whampoa MTR station, part of the Kwun Tong extension line from Yau Ma Tei, is currently under construction and scheduled to open late next year.

Fast fashion brands Uniqlo and H&M recently opened in the Wonderful Worlds of Whampoa centre and Mak says she expects more international brands to follow as the mall morphs into more of a regional mall.