Russell Street

With over 50 shops, Russell Street is one of Hong Kong's most famous and busiest shopping streets. Although Russell Street is glamorous and bustling today, several decades ago, in the 1950s and 1960s, it was actually a traditional wet market. Its true rise to international fame occurred in 2012 and 2013 — for two consecutive years, it surpassed the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York to claim the title of the "world's most expensive retail street." Upon arriving at Russell Street, the first thing you notice is the "density." The pedestrian flow is extremely congested, reaching over 15,000 people per hour during peak holiday periods. East of Percival Street is a pedestrian-only zone paved with red bricks, where taxi queues often stretch into long lines — a truly remarkable sight. At night, the neon signs lining the street shine so brightly that they outshine your mobile phone screen. This is an arena for high-end brands, with top names such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry gathering here. Today, the street also features a mix of securities firms and fashion boutiques, attracting office workers, tourists, and young trendsetters alike. From noon until midnight, this area is almost a "taxi zone" shared with pedestrians. The vacancy rate on Russell Street has long remained near zero. The congestion and prosperity here directly reflect its astonishing commercial value. At its peak, shop rents exceeded HK$1,000 per square foot. In 2011, a shop of approximately 700 square feet at 76 Percival Street changed hands for a record price of nearly HK$380 million, reaching a unit price of around HK$540,000 per square foot. Russell Street — from a local wet market to a global retail phenomenon. This street bears witness to the transformation and ultimate expression of Hong Kong's commercial landscape. It is not merely a shopping street, but a concentrated legend of Hong Kong's vitality, efficiency, and entrepreneurial spirit.