Swindon Bookshop on Lock Road [1964-2020] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Swindon Bookshop on Lock Road [1964-2020]

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Submitted by Klaus on Wed, 2019-03-20 22:21
Current condition: 
Demolished / No longer exists
Date Place completed: 
1964-07-18
Date Place demolished: 
2020-07-31

Located at 13-15 Lock Road, TST in Anson House (date of first occupation 09/12/1963).

Update 2022-02-25

Swindon opened this store on the 18 July 1964 (source). So they had two stores, one on Nathan Road, and the other on Lock Road.

The bookstore closed 31 July, 2020.

Swindon bookstore operates online only.

Tags: 
swindon bookshop
TST
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Submitted by Klaus on Mon, 2021-10-11 21:06.

SCMP from 29 July, 2020 reports:

Hong Kong’s oldest bookshop Swindon to close after decades, wrapping up final chapter amid Covid-19 struggles

  • Bookstore to shut Lock Road outlet in Tsim Sha Tsui where it has been for decades
  • Company to move operations online as it faces HK$3.71 million bill for unpaid rent

The coronavirus pandemic claimed another victim on Wednesday, as Hong Kong’s oldest bookshop announced it would be closing after decades and moving operations online.

Swindon Book Company Ltd, which was founded in 1918, said it would shut its Lock Road outlet in the heart of the city on Friday.

 

Submitted by sternbergman on Sun, 2021-10-24 20:04.

I am sorry to hear that Swindon bookshop closed last year. This is just to say that the Tsim Sha Tsui shop can be seen in the background of a scene in the James Bond film, 'The Man With The Golden Gun', near the beginning of the film, after Bond has left the Bottoms Up Club!

Submitted by luckystars on Sun, 2022-02-20 18:47.

Hi, first time posting, long time reader.

The Swindon Book Company opened on Nathan Road in 1918 as a general stationers (paper, pens, writing sundries, typewriters etc.). They later expanded to being a book store – with the opening the 'flagship' Anson House branch in 1964 – 64 Nathen Rd. remained open as a stationers.

 

Details as follows (earlest records in squre brackets):

25 Nathan Rd. [original store, from 1918-1962??]

MIRADOR MANSION [from circa 1962]
64 Nathan Rd.

ANSON HOUSE [from circa 1964 – likely the first occupant]
13-15 Lock Rd.

OCEAN TERMINAL [from circa 1969]
249, Deck 2, Lantao Gallery,
Ocean Terminal.

Submitted by Klaus on Mon, 2022-02-21 00:33.

Thank you, luckystars, for adding some more details about the Swindon Bookstore(s). 

Regarding the one inside Mirador Mansion: I always wanted to create a place for it, now I have an opening date - so I will start.

The one at 25 Nathan Road was located in the Star Hotel. This was demolished in the mid-1950s and replaced by the Peninsula Court / Marco Polo Hotel which opened in 1957. There seems to be a gap between closure of no. 25 and opening in Mirador Mansion (construction end 1958). Possibly had an interim location.

Submitted by luckystars on Tue, 2022-02-22 03:40.

Swindon have afiliate stores, including 'Hong Kong Book Centre' and 'Kelly & Walsh' (apparently since the 1950s) – so it's possible that filled the gap, or the move to Mirador Mansion happend earlier. I can't find a reference to the second store earlier than March 1962.

https://swindonbooks.myshopify.com/pages/about-us

I'll update if I find any more.