I was cutting through Sharp Street in back of Times Square last night when I saw a bright wall decorating an area under construction. The temporary facade featured scores of colorfully animated characters including the iconic Julius the monkey. The words at the top said “Stick around to find out where Julius and Friends sail off to next.” Below it noted simply “the paul frank store.” Hong Kong’s been waiting for this!
Hong Kong loves cute. Cartoon-type characters are popular with all ages. Putting the two together makes for a big hit. Paul Frank’s characters known collectively as Julius and Friends, have been popular for years in Hong Kong. Though some items were brought in through legitimate channels, much of the clothing and accessories on the market were imitations. With stores already in Thailand, Taiwan, Japan and Malaysia, it’s about time for an official Hong Kong shop.
The store is diagonally just across the street from Times Square, a popular shopping center. Though not on the major thoroughfare, it’s still an excellent location in the heart of one of Hong Kong’s shopping capitals.
The Paul Frank store is situated on a slightly alternative route to get from one part of Causeway Bay to another. G.O.D., the local home furnishings behemoth is located on the same block. Uniqlo and Muji are a short stroll away, just inside Lee Theatre Plaza on the corner.
[photopress:Julius_and_Friends_Hong_Kon.jpg,full,pp_image]Though Paul Frank has suffered a loss of revenue from entering the market slightly late, consumers are now fully aware of the brand and I’d expect the shop to really take off.
For more information about Paul Frank and his characters, check out the official website. To see cool events he’s been involved with around the world, have a look at the company blog.
Paul Frank store address:
G/F 7 Sharp Street East
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
In back of Times Square Shopping Center (close to G.O.D. and Lee Theatre Plaza)
