GOOSEBUMP

Sub-tropical Hong Kong has found a consistent ray of sunshine on Hollywood Road

Across from PMQ, at the corner of Hollywood Road and Aberdeen Street sits an unmissable orange and pink-painted storefront that houses an uncommon selection of merchandise for Hong Kong. GOOSEBUMP is a vibrant, child-like explosion of internationally-sourced, imaginative pieces that are hand-crafted and eco-conscious. If that description sounds like a mouthful, it’s only because the shop is an eyeful (in the best way). 

You’ll notice that GOOSEBUMP is singular, and, as with everything in the store, it is intentionally so. According to the shop’s website, the word ‘goosebump’ (毛管戙 in Cantonese) describes ‘the shiver you feel when something touches your heart.’ Goosebumps don’t come often. ‘They’re singular. Unexpected. Honest. Just like every piece’ GOOSEBUMP carries. The personalness of the brand is immediately felt, which only makes the singularity of the name more apt. 

Packed from the floor to the ceiling, the interior of GOOSEBUMP feels like the 90s-classic ‘I Spy’ books. Similar to the objective of those books, a visit to GOOSEBUMP is a treasure hunt for souvenirs or unique accoutrements for your closet and home. It’s simultaneously a place a little girl would be delighted by and the perfect place to pick up a souvenir for your mom who insists she wants nothing yet appreciates any fun little token or proof you thought of her. 

When I first visited the shop, my eyes were scanning the jam-packed walls while owner Miffy was brightly chatting with a fellow customer who was modeling a variegated canvas tote in front of a mirror. I don’t speak Cantonese, but I also don’t need subtitles to understand that I am witnessing that euphoric, universal female moment of discovering a new piece that will become an eternal staple in one’s wardrobe. 

I was particularly drawn to a pair of FLABELUS mary janes when Miffy let me know that these shoes are handmade in Spain with velvet or cotton. The soles of the candy-colored offerings are reinforced with upcycled tires, proving to be both eco-friendly and resourceful. Only as Miffy reaches under the table of crafts for my size-39 bougainvillea pair do I realize how artfully hidden, stored, and stacked the shoesboxes are around the shop. 

Miffy is as sunny as her shop with a sweet giggle and toothy smile. Her style is quirky: a mashup of Zooey Deschanel’s Jess from ‘New Girl’ and gorpcore. She explains that she sources the products for her shop through her personal travels. 

At the end of my shopping, I ask for a business card to remember the shop’s name. (As if I could forget something as delightfully odd as GOOSEBUMP). Instead of a petite petal of paper, Miffy handed me a flamboyant catalog that she designed (as she proudly tells me). 

Since I’ve digested the visual feast, I hunger for more. GOOSEBUMP is the kind of shop that feels fresh every time you see it because there is always something more to see, something you will have missed the first time around. They have quirky broaches, ornaments, bags, baskets and shoes. Everything is crafted by hand by artisans. For a little taste of the color and inventory, I recommend visiting the shop’s Instagram. 

They have a shoppable website and offer international shipping to many countries; the shipping cost will be calculated at checkout. Additionally, they offer complimentary local deliveries over $800 HKD; however, if you’re local, I’d recommend visiting the shop in person to get the full, Skittle-shaded experience!

Shop GOOSEBUMP from 11 AM - 8 PM at the following location: 

LG/F, 81A Hollywood Road, Central