Sophie Sherrard charts three routes through the Ap Lei Chau shopping complex.
When it comes to shopping for furniture, discount designer fashion or baby essentials, one destination springs to mind: Horizon Plaza. Navigating the 23 floors of this vertical warehouse-turned-shopping centre on Ap Lei Chau can be overwhelming, but veterans confirm that it’s worth the hike. So we’ve planned three routes to save you time and energy while still hitting the highlights. Happy shopping!
Furniture heaven
With flagship stores, discount outlets, bespoke furniture makers, antiques (retro and repro, Chinese and Western), specialists and outdoor furniture, there’s something here for every home and budget.
Tree
Start at the top and swoon for Tree’s signature reclaimed and recycled timber furniture for living, dining and bedrooms. There’s a tailor-made service, cool kids range and vintage and modern styles to choose from, plus a lovely cafe and a play area for the kids. Retail therapy that makes you feel good? Yes, please. Open daily, 10.30am-7pm. 28/F, 2870 1582.
Everything Under the Sun
This 16-year-old local company supplies top brands of outdoor furniture for homes, hotels and clubhouses. Knowledgeable staff can offer great advice on arranging a comfortable and beautiful outdoor living spaces, from awnings to barbecues, sun loungers to mist fans. Open 10am-6pm. 9/F, 2554 9088.
Indigo and Indigo Kids
Indigo sells contemporary furniture and homeware with an Asian twist in stylish living, dining and bedroom displays. Indigo Kids has children’s bedroom and nursery furniture, decorating bits and pieces, plus a small range of Stokke products and children’s toys. Open 10am-7pm. Showroom, 6/F. Outlet 10/F, 2555 0540.
Shambala
Shambala feels otherworldly with its mixture of antique, vintage and Eastern-influenced styles. Explore every part of the store in the hunt for something different, then head to the Pacific Coffee concession and adjacent children’s play area for a well-deserved break. Open 9am-7.30pm. 2/F, 2555 2997
Tequila Kola
People who arrive at Tequila Kola disinterested in furniture, leave inspired. The main showroom store boasts spectacular styling of modern and vintage-style pieces. As well as substantial carpet, upholstery and cushion-making services, there’s a small area for kids and a Classified coffee shop. The outlet store brims with sale items at discounts of 10 per cent-60 per cent rather than damaged and display stock. Showroom: open Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, weekends 11am-7pm; 1/F, 2877 3295. Outlet: open Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, weekends noon-7pm; 17/F, 2518 3193.
26/F
This floor has three specialist furniture stores: Ad Lib (2552 0222) has lovely Western and Asian antique and vintage pieces, Okooko (2870 1132) has beautiful bedding and bedroom furniture, and Zense (3904 3666) offers custom-made furniture by local designers.
Oriental Home: antique, new and custom Asian furniture. 20/F, 3542 5336.
OVO: beautiful, modern and funky international designer pieces. 20/F, 2529 6020.
Jervis Bay: barbecue specialist. 12/F, 2792 7268.
Garden Gallery: outdoor furniture of all descriptions. 7/F, 2553 3251.
Discount fashion
Horizon Plaza’s fashion outlets boast big designer names, a wide range of sizes and the correct (if not current) season. Most are nicely fitted out and many offer increased discounts when you buy more pieces.
27/F
Hugo Boss, Marni and Diesel are the stand outs, with discounts of more than 50 per cent. Juicy Couture has smaller discounts but a good range and lots of sizes. The large Moda Mia stocks mainly winter clothing. Vivienne Westwood and Max Mara look a little tired, but if a winter coat is on the shopping list head there. Follie Follie has discount bags.
18/F
The real star is Ralph Lauren with friendly staff, big discounts, lots of sizes and last year’s winter range. Also on this floor – and all excellent – are Marc by Marc Jacobs, Yves Saint Laurent, Imaginex, Hit Gallery and A.T.
Big-label hunters
The big designer bargains can be found at the large Lane Crawford, Joyce and Pompeii outlets. Joyce is a retail Tardis, Lane Crawford is stale-smelling and fluoro-lit, and the staff at Pompeii seem put off by customers. But perseverance pays off, with discounts of up to 90 per cent on major labels. While you’re at Pompeii, pop into its 22/F neighbour, Armani. Lane Crawford, 25/F, 2118 3403. Pompeii, 22/F, 3586 9026. Joyce, 21/F, 2814 8313.
Child’s play
While Horizon Plaza isn’t great for shopping with kids, it is a great place to shop for them.
Bumps to Babes
Parents come to Horizon Plaza just to visit the ultimate baby shop with its knowledgeable staff and huge stock of strollers, cots, bassinets, carriers, car seats, clothes, toys and food. It’s not a discount store, although it can feel like one. 21/F, 2552 5000
Mothercare
Smaller than some of its other Hong Kong stores, this British brand is packed with maternity, baby and toddler essentials, sold by informed staff. 19/F, 2518 0528
Nursery and children’s furniture
Tree: sustainable kids furniture that oozes cool, at a price. 28/F, 2870 1582.
Okooko: modern but sweet and cosy bedroom furniture for children. 26/F, 2870 1132.
Nerd Kids for Living: desks, chairs and sofas for older children. 19/F, 3105 9887.
Inside: a small but cute kids range and some furniture. 12/F, 2873 1795.
Flexa: hip furniture (bunkbed slide, anyone?) and soft furnishings for ankle biters. 11/F.
Indigo Kids: all you need for a nursery or a kid’s room in one place. 6/F, 2555 0540.
Birthday shopping
Pollux Books: good selection of books, toys, DVDs, educational resources and more. 21/F, 2873 6962.
Toys Club: toys, boardgames, books, party supplies and more. 19/F, 2836 0875.
Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau. Drivers’ instructions: after crossing Ap Lei Chau Bridge, take second left onto Lee Nam Road, second left onto Lee Hing Street and first left into Horizon Plaza car park.
Navigation aids
Pick up a shopping guide on arrival, it’s invaluable.
Plan a route starting at the highest floor on your list.
When its busy, take the stairs rather than the slow and convoluted lift system.
Give yourself plenty of time. There are no quick trips to Horizon Plaza.
Don’t take the kids. There may be a few small in-store play areas, but there are no open spaces to run off a bit of energy.
If possible, avoid weekends.
Only the brave would attempt to cover fashion and furniture in one day.
Toilets alternate between men’s and women’s on each level in the stair wells and aren’t bad, although staff smoke in the disabled toilets with the baby change tables. Tree (28/F) has a change table.