Macau Lifestyle
  • What's On

    Categories

    • Giveaways
    • Entertainment

    Recent Stories

    mgm tennis
    MGM Macau Tennis Masters
    Events & Promotions
    01-©June Balthazard & Pierre Pauze, Mass, 2020. Courtesy of the artists. This work was originally commissioned by Hermès Horloger, Bienne, Switzerland.
    Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2023
    Arts
    Westlife The Wild Dreams Tour
    Boyband Westlife to Bring The Wild Dreams Tour to The Londoner Arena in November
    Entertainment
  • Dining

    Categories

    • Restaurants
    • Local Eats
    • Cafes
    • Bars
    • Chef Spotlight

    Recent Stories

    Minibar and Lounge Interior Yellow Neon Signs Macau Lifestyle
    Sing Along: Best Places for Karaoke in Macau
    Bars
    Thai,Shrimps,Red,Curry.,Thailand,Tradition,Red,Curry,Soup,With
    The Best Thai Restaurants in Macau
    Restaurants
    Moo Creamery Founders Portrait
    Moo Creamery: Freshly-Made Ice Creams Delivering Original Flavors in Macau
    Dining
  • Lifestyle

    Categories

    • Wellness
    • Weddings
    • Family
    • People

    Recent Stories

    hac-sa-reservoir-park
    Top 10 Things to Do With Kids in Macau
    Family
    Moo Creamery Founders Portrait
    Moo Creamery: Freshly-Made Ice Creams Delivering Original Flavors in Macau
    Dining
    start line photo
    Top Running Routes in Macau
    Lifestyle
  • Culture

    Categories

    • Arts
    • Heritage & History
    • Architecture
    • Artist Spotlight
    • Local Knowledge

    Recent Stories

    Poster image_消失的身影 The Vanished Figures.jpeg
    Comuna de Pedra’s The Vanished Figures
    Culture
    girl in macau transport
    Getting Around in Macau
    Local Knowledge
    01-©June Balthazard & Pierre Pauze, Mass, 2020. Courtesy of the artists. This work was originally commissioned by Hermès Horloger, Bienne, Switzerland.
    Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2023
    Arts
  • Style

    Categories

    • Fashion
    • Jewelry & Watches
    • Beauty
    • Home

    Recent Stories

    Wayuu Bag Macau
    Businesses in Macau: Taking Ideas to the Next Level
    Culture
    Longines Master Collection Now Shines in Macau
    Longines Master Moonphase Now Shines in Macau
    Jewelry & Watches
    Clara Brito on a Fashion Shoot
    Clara Brito: Taking Action Through Fashion
    Fashion
  • Travel

    Categories

    • Macau
    • China
    • Asia
    • Oceania
    • Europe

    Recent Stories

    girl in macau transport
    Getting Around in Macau
    Local Knowledge
    wonderfruit 2022 flag
    Wonderfruit Festival 2023: The Return of Asia’s Burning Man
    Asia
    Kenji Rukkit Gus graffiti street art outloud festival praca ponte e horta art one day macau
    One Day in Macau: Art Itinerary
    Arts
  • Hong Kong

    Categories

    • What's On
    • Dining
    • Things to Do
    • Hotels

    Recent Stories

    Cartier and Women exhibition
    Cartier and Women: The World’s First Major Exhibition on the Role and Influence of Women in Cartier’s History
    Culture
    Grand Hyatt HK_French GourMay Staycation (3)
    French GourMay at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Offers a Bespoke Culinary Trip to France
    Dining
    The Upper House Salisterra Main Dining Room
    Salisterra Showcases Exquisite Mediterranean Cuisine at The Upper House Hong Kong
    Dining
  • City Guide
  • 繁中
Culture
by Weng U Pun

Lei Fong Mercearia: The Time-Travelling Convenience Store

Lei Fong Mr Liu in Shop Macau Lifestyle

Lei Fong Mercearia (利豐便利店) is a convenience store for vintage items. It is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Liu and has been around for almost three decades. Why is it called a convenience store? The store began as a convenience store before gradually transitioning into a collectors’ paradise, where people can find and revisit nostalgic memories from decades past. You can find anything from stamps, letters, and posters to beautiful vases, figurines, and sculptures dating back to the Qin Dynasty. Read on to find out how Mr. Liu got into this interesting business and to find out what tips he has for those interested in becoming a collector!

Why did you start this shop? How did you get into this business?

I moved to Macau from the mainland in 1979 to find work. I worked for a few years before my wife and my children joined me. It was difficult. I tried looking around for a small convenience store that I could possibly take off someone’s hands. There was a small one near Kiang Wu Hospital and the business was passed over to me to manage. I worked there for eight years and with the money I earned, I bought the shop here on Rua da Tercena to continue the business.

In the year 2000, I realized that operating a convenience store was not going to be financially sustainable in the long run. So, I slowly changed what I was selling. I kept selling things like soda and toys but I stopped selling other food like rice, biscuits, crisps, and oil. Then, I started selling nostalgic items like these.

I didn’t start collecting and selling secondhand items out of interest. I began doing so for financial reasons. It was only after a while that my own interest developed. Lots of children used to come to my shop. Old Master Q (老夫子) comics were really popular amongst them. I would stock up on those comics from the mainland because they would sell so well. One day, I noticed a secondhand bookstore near ours. I asked him where he found them. The guy collected cardboard and he would find books amongst miscellaneous things that have been abandoned to sell. I ended up doing the same thing, and I would collect boxes of books. Some days I would sell 50-60 books a day. The profit I made from selling books made up of 80% of the total profit I got from running the convenience store. Eventually, the food items I was selling got lesser and lesser and I started selling more books, old and new, and secondhand items.

Once I was in Areia Preta and there was a woman with a truckload of books. She was busy collecting cardboard. A box fell out of her truck and I picked it up but she didn’t want the books. She didn’t see the value in them. I offered to pay her but she refused to accept it. There was a guy who came by my shop who offered me MOP $100 for the books. I immediately said yes! After all, I literally got the books for free. (laughs) That was when I began to realize the worth in old books so I began collecting old books to sell. Usually, these books were collected by the previous generation but their next generation did not want them. So, they were precious to the older generation.

Now, books published during the 60s and the 70s in Hong Kong like The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射鵰英雄傳) by Jin Yong are worth a lot. They’re thin serialized books, now worth hundreds each. If you had the whole collection, they would be worth ten thousand MOP even!

I see that the shop has recently been refurbished. How did you manage to make such a big change?

Yes, a year ago an interior design company reached out to me and informed me that this shop was eligible for funding on the grounds of its cultural significance. They asked me if I wanted to renovate the shop and they offered to apply for the funding for me. I agreed and they designed and renovated the shop this July.

Lei Fong Items on Display Macau Lifestyle

Where and how do you obtain the vintage items from in this store?

I found all these items in Macau. There used to be lots of houses being taken down, and I knew a lot of the people that were involved in the process. I knew them because back then I was selling water and cigarettes, and the people that worked those jobs tend to buy those things. I just asked them to let me know when they were going to be moving or taking apart houses so I could collect items that other people no longer wanted.

I still get most of my items in that way. Mostly it is up to fate. Lately, there was an old lady who passed by, offering to sell me something. While she was looking around, she asked, “You sell old books? I have a lot of old books. Would you want them?” Turns out she’s from a big wealthy family and the books she brought over were exceptionally old.

What sort of things do you usually collect? What do you look for?

I don’t look for a specific thing to collect. It’s hard to find exactly what you want. How I come across all these items all really depends on fate and circumstance.

Lei Fong Teapot in Hand centred Macau Lifestyle

Do you have any favorite items that you have collected?

Of course, I do. (laughs) I have a teapot on display that I really like. It is very expensive and was handmade by Chinese ceramic art master Bao Zhiqiang (鲍志强). The teapot was a gift to a Hong Kong businessman but the businessman did not like the teapot. They had a shop here in Macau and they tried to sell it, and in the end, I was the one who bought it. This teapot has been auctioned before in Beijing for around MOP $2,000,000!

What is the oldest thing in this store?

I have things dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-906) and the Song Dynasty (960-1279). I’ve got these stone figurines that are from the Tang Dynasty too. I also had figurines from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 AD) but I’ve sold those. I bought them from other shops. They’re not cheap!

You have lots of Mao memorabilia–how did you come across those?

I got them from the Macau Women’s Organisation (婦聯) when they were clearing out their storage. Someone found them and I bought it off them. During the Cultural Revolution, the Macau Women’s Organisation bought loads back and sold it to their members. These must have been what was leftover. They threw away truckloads of many posters. They threw away about 90% of what they had. I bought what I could. The posters are worth thousands of MOP now and they threw it all away! The posters that I do have now are not from Macau Women’s Organisation; I got them elsewhere.

Is there anything that is not for sale here? And why?

No. If it’s the right price it sells (laughs)

Lei Fong Vintage Camera Macau Lifestyle

How do you know how much something is worth?

You check its market price. Check auctions. So, if the price someone offers is not around its market price, then I won’t sell it.

Do you have any future plans for the store?

No, not really. We’ll keep the shop open till we retire.

Apart from collecting things, what do you like doing in your spare time?

I don’t really have much time. Sometimes, I exercise at 6:00am at Camoes Garden for about an hour.

Lei Fong Old Bottles Macau Lifestyle

What advice would you give someone who is interested in collecting vintage items?

Well, don’t collect expensive things from the get-go. Collect things that have the potential to increase in value. But, it’s hard to know what sort of things increase in value! If I knew, I would keep certain things and not sell them! (laughs) Ultimately, anything that is becoming less common will become valuable.


Lei Fong Mercearia 38 Rua da Tercena, Macau, +853 2892 0278

Tags

  • collector
  • Lei Fong Mercearia
  • macau
  • second hand books

Related Posts

Kenji Rukkit Gus graffiti street art outloud festival praca ponte e horta art one day macau
Arts

One Day in Macau: Art Itinerary

a-ma temple barra macau memorial arch
Culture

Off the Beaten Path: Exploring Barra

São Lourenço Macau
Culture

St. Lawrence Church: Roots of Catholicism in China

Vintage Around Exterior Front View Macau Lifestyle
Culture

Where to Shop Vintage in Macau

Trending Posts

Local Knowledge, Macau, Sightseeing, Travel

Getting Around in Macau

Dining, Local Eats

Where to Find the Best Portuguese Egg Tarts in Macau

Sands Cotai Central Chiado restaurant suckling pig
Dining, Restaurants

The Best Places to Eat Real Portuguese Food in Macau

pork chop bun in macau
Dining, Local Eats

Where to Find the Juiciest Pork Chop Bun in Macau

  • Editor's Picks

    ladies night macau Bars

    Where My Ladies At: The Best Ladies’ Night Offers in Macau

    From free-flow champagne to free Prosecco bottles, check our list of the best ladies’ night offers in Macau.

    Salvador Dali Alice in Wonderland Macau Lifestyle hidden artwork Macau Arts

    Art Masterpieces in Macau You Did Not Know Existed

    Some pieces of art are in the most prominent spots, but there are some artwork that remain hidden in Macau. Here’s where you can find them!

    Cuppa Coffee Macau Dining

    Good Morning Macau: Best Cafes for Breakfast

    As breakfast is the most important meal of the day, here’re our favorite cafes in Macau to head to for a hearty breakfast!

    Wayuu Bag Macau Culture

    Businesses in Macau: Taking Ideas to the Next Level

    Macau is a small city, but it sure has a lot of new businesses popping up. We rounded up a list of cool businesses to check out and support!

    start line photo Lifestyle

    Top Running Routes in Macau

    Make the effort to get up 30 minutes earlier from tomorrow onwards and check out any of these stunning running routes in Macau.

    The Ritz-Carlton Bar & Lounge Gin Collection Bars

    Best Places for Happy Hour in Macau

    After a long day at work, you need a relaxing place to unwind. We have the best places in Macau for happy hour deals on drinks and snacks!

    Zics Macau Brand Source Facebook page Fashion

    Macau Fashion Brands: Celebrate Local Design

    Discover some Macau fashion brands that are making waves due to the fabulous designers behind each of their fresh and genius creations.

    Flora Garden playground Family

    The Best Playgrounds for Kids in Macau

    Macau is full of parks and leisure areas that feature some amazing play areas. Here’s a list of the best playgrounds in Macau for the tykes!

    Maria do Leste Bloody Mary from St Regis Macao Updated Photo 2020 Bars

    Shaken or Stirred: Macau’s Best Cocktails

    The world of mixology often proves to be as diverse and surprising as the one of gastronomy. Exercising talent and immense creativity, Macau’s bartenders keep creating signature cocktails that impress us with both flavors and presentation. If you are tired and bored with mojitos and negronis and need tips on what else to try, check out our guide to Macau’s best cocktails. 

    sound-of-century-vintage-sound-machines-museum Arts

    Macau’s Quirkiest Museums

    When art and history collections are inspected, it’s time to learn things that even locals might not know. Read on to plan a visit to Macau’s quirkiest museums.

    Pataca currency Local Knowledge

    The Pataca Story: The Peculiar History of Macau’s Currency

    The Pataca is special as not many countries the size of Macau would have their currency. Read on to find out about the origins of the Pataca.

    sw-steakhouse-barcounter-cocktails-macau-wynn-palace Bars

    SW Steakhouse Bar at Wynn Palace: Home of Barrel-Aged Cocktails

    Known as one of the best restaurants for juicy prime cuts, SW Steakhouse at Wynn Palace also features a bar with must-try cocktails.

    Vintage Around Exterior Front View Macau Lifestyle Culture

    Where to Shop Vintage in Macau

    If you’re a fashionista obssessed with all things vintage, this selection of the best vintage shops in Macau is for you. Happy shopping!

    Negroni bar patua mgm cotai macau lifestyle Bars

    Where to Have an Unforgettable Negroni in Macau

    Check our list of the best bars in Macau that serve the Italian bitter-sweet cocktail, Negroni, from classic recipes to original twists!

    Coloane hiking trail Culture

    Guide to Coloane’s Hiking Trails

    Coloane is home to most of the hiking trails in town. We walked them all and came up with the most comprehensive Coloane hiking trails guide.

    sponge-cake-macau-lifestyle-chinese-pastries Dining

    A Tour of Traditional Chinese Pastries in Macau

    Every tourist coming to Macau can make a fast conclusion that cookies and pastries here are held in high regard. Where do you start, and what do you eat? To get acquainted with a curious word of local sweets, check our guide to the Chinese pastries in Macau.

    Signature cocktail - Patuá mgm cotai macau Bars

    Bar Patuá at MGM Macau: Language of Mixology

    Whether it is cool cocktails, stunning design, or engaging conversations with a bartender, Bar Patuá has a lot to offer. Learn more in our review!

    ramen pro macau lifestyle Dining

    Delicious Ramen Spots in Macau

    A hot bowl of Japanese ramen would surely satisfy any noodle craving. Slurp away at these ramen places in Macau!

    Tsung I Macau Culture

    Jao Tsung-I: Prominent Sinologist & Literature Researcher in Macau

    Jao Tsung-I was a key figure in the study of ancient literature and history, as well as a prolific Chinese calligraphy artist.

    63c4f00b-ca84-4eda-8f54-1fc5b633bee6_l Architecture

    Macau’s Tap Seac Square by Carlos Marreiros

    Have you ever wondered about Tap Seac Square, its history, and what used to be there? Find out more about its history and right here!

    girl with dog and cocktail cafe Cafes

    Best Pet Friendly Cafes in Macau

    Unwilling to leave your fur child behind while you stroll the streets of Macau? Here are pet-friendly cafes in Macau for you to bring your furry friend to!

    Camões Bust in Grotto Culture

    The Camões Phenomena: All the Way From Portugal to Macau

    Portuguese poet Camões is well-known in Macau. But do you know why? We tell you some interesting facts about the author’s life!

    hiro ramen venetian macau lifestyle Dining

    Get Warm: Best Ramen Spots in Taipa

    We have composed a list of the best ramen spots in Taipa to warm your heart and soul, the Japanese way, with a hot bowl of ramen!

    beijing memory li xiao feng mandarin oriental macau art Arts

    Art at Mandarin Oriental, Macau: Porcelain Dresses & Contemporary Glass Installations

    Read on to see how Mandarin Oriental, Macau, highlights its style and identity with art and design masterpieces by different artists.  

    Nam Ping Exterior Frontdoor Macau Lifestyle Dining

    Nam Ping: A Local Foodie Haven Nestled in Old Macau

    Set in Rua de Cinco de Outubro, Nam Ping is nestled in the city center, opened for more than 30 years, serving simple, mouthwatering dishes.

    Studio City Vinca Foot Spa Foot Massage Chairs Blurred Background Macau Lifestyle Lifestyle

    Best Places for Foot Massages in Macau

    Foot massages are a special treat especially when you’re feeling stressed and fatigued so get your fix at these amazing places in Macau!

    Rooftop Macau Upstairs Terrace Dining

    Best Rooftops in Macau to Relax At

    Chilling on a rooftop with a cold drink is the best way to spend a day. Here’s a list of some of the hippest trending rooftops in Macau!

    Chou Kei Dining

    Local Eats: Where to Have Instant Noodles With Egg & Luncheon Meat in Macau

    Instant noodles taste much better topped with a fried egg and luncheon meat! Here are the best places in Macau to have this delicacy.

    _Aesop_Skin_Care_PLUS_2021 – SC+ family Beauty

    How Aesop’s the Skincare+ Range Is Revolutionizing Self-Care

    Self-care is good skincare. At the forefront of this is Aesop’s The Skincare+ Range that’s guaranteed to nourish and improve the skin.

    banyan tree macau_Spa_Royal Treatment Room Lifestyle

    Macau’s Best Spas

    Macau is a wold-class destination and this extends to its spas as well. Check out our list of spas in Macau offering the best in relaxation.

  • About
  • The Team
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

COPYRIGHT © 2023 • MACAU LIFESTYLE

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Receive Macau Events Agenda, the Hottest Giveaway Offers and the Latest Article Updates!