#046 An extremely busy week, a belated weekly journal entry (16/04/2023)

Photo: North Point New Store

First of all, I apologize for being late with this week's journal entry. It's 1 AM now, which is later than midnight. This week's entry is a bit late. I usually finish writing it well in advance and wait for the system to automatically publish it on time, but this week I've had so much to do, so very busy. Especially these last two days, moving goods, cleaning the shop, wiping things down, and cleaning up any last bits of trash. With the opening on April 17th approaching, it's getting busier and busier. The overall design and attention to detail in this North Point shop is much better than the one in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Floor-to-ceiling windows facing the tramway

Firstly, the shop has floor-to-ceiling windows facing north, overlooking King's Road tramway. This was one of the reasons I chose the shop. With floor-to-ceiling windows across the street, the entire shop would be bright and airy, with natural light making it feel more comfortable – something I valued highly. Especially the view of the tramway was a great advantage. The tramway represents a period of Hong Kong's history, and as long as it remains undemolished, having a shop with a view of the tramway is a desirable thing.

On a side note, there was a time when I lived in Sheung Wan and would take the tram alone, sitting on the upper deck, enjoying the breeze, boarding at the North Garden Restaurant in Sheung Wan, and going down to Causeway Bay to buy groceries or meet friends. It felt so carefree. That was in 2021, when Re Pillow Co. was still relatively unknown.

Product trial area

The product trial area in North Point is different from the one in Tsim Sha Tsui because the entire area was intentionally designed to feel more homey, aiming to create a sense of separation. If you look closely, you'll notice that two types of flooring were used throughout the store. In the product trial area, where the beds were placed, a different color of flooring was used to distinguish the two areas. Here's a daytime photo for a clearer view:

The bed has a small compartment on the floor that extends slightly, symbolizing "Think outside the box." The tall cabinet next to the bed also has a place to hang blankets, so you don't have to fold them up again.

Two bamboo baskets have also been added inside the shop, making it convenient for customers to put their bags on the bed. The inspiration comes from the baskets often found in ramen shops, because my friend/colleague/former university classmate Ben and I frequently eat ramen there, and I noticed how suitable they were and decided to use them. Now, when customers arrive, they can put their bags down, just like going back to their bed at home, making them feel more relaxed. All of these are improvements made to the details.

Grid Cash Register

On the other side of the shop is the cash register. I made it glow and with a grid-like design. The inside is actually for us to put pillowcases! I thought I could release different colors in the future, one color for each row, which would be even prettier. But I can't do it all by myself, so for now, I just put up the word "Re" to hold it up.

Interior color scheme

Last time in Tsim Sha Tsui, I used white aluminum panels for the walls, light wood for the flooring and shelves, and dark wood for the beds and cash registers. Later, I realized the aluminum panels on the walls felt a bit cold. I've posted some pictures here to show you the interior design of my shop in Tsim Sha Tsui:

This time, learning from experience, we changed to using all wood tones for the floors and walls, while all the beds, cabinets, and cash registers were white, making the whole thing feel warmer. Using more white in Tsim Sha Tsui is actually fine, but facing this street scene in North Point, the outside is already gray and white, so using wood tones inside makes the whole feeling softer. The picture below is of North Point:

Actually, the two shops have similar decoration styles, but there are slight differences.

In addition, there is another detail: if you compare the pictures of Tsim Sha Tsui above and North Point below, you will find that the door to the back room where staff enter has been improved and made more concealed, so customers will not see a very obvious door frame.

So it's truly a process of learning and improving along the way. I also bring some of the best elements from the North Point store's renovation to Tsim Sha Tsui, and slowly wait for Tsim Sha Tsui to become even better! So next time I go to Tsim Sha Tsui, some of the designs may have already been moved there.

over!