Shop: Hidden Spots Where locals go in Macau for SCMP 48h

A piece I wrote for the SCMP, here’s my unedited version, and all photography by me.

Buddy Candy Store

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This psychedelic candy store is tucked away in an alley way corner just a stone’s throw from St Pauls Ruins alongside some hipster fashion boutiques. Buddy Candy Store sells candies in all shapes, sizes and colours, including their best seller, the Giant Gummy Bears imported from the USA whose size and weight is the equivalent of 6300 gummy bears, weighing up to 2.2kg. What usually strike visitors when they first visit is the ethereal colourful floating glass balloons that run through the ceiling of the entire shop. Their wide range of candies are imported internationally, with most of the toy candies imported from Japan, while the wide range of beautifully packaged candies from lollies to large scale towering pieces of art are imports from Europe, America to South East Asia. Expect to find plenty of the latest cartoon characters from Disney to Hello Kitty, with a wide variety they have handpicked and curated internationally – truly the candy experts. Both locals and expats come here to shop for candies for a lolly on the go or order special packages for children’s birthday parties and events. This summer, Buddy candy store is going to start organising parties for children in the shop’s space, accommodating up to 20 children. Whether shopping for gifts or picking up some candy, you’re spoilt for choice with sweets that range from 5MOP-500MOP.

小不點 BUDDY, Avenida de Demétrio Cinatti, Macau, Macao. Tel: (853) 2835 8222. Opening Hours: Everyday 1030am-630pm.

Mercearia Portuguesa

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“The Portguese Corner Shop” first opened in 2011 and has a carefully and lovingly curated inventory of eclectic, beautiful artisanal products. Everything from the century old traditional Claus Porto soaps with their gorgeous vintage print packaging to artisanal rugs Made in Portugal to the “Pinhais” sardines – a family run business in Portugal that practices sustainable fishing – a product you can’t find outside of Portugal because of the small scale he operates on. Then there are the homemade quinze marmalades and assorted jams – the beauty, sun and sea of Portugal packed in a jar, straight from Portugal. Here, you’ll also find hand embroidered little linen handkerchiefs—a traditional Portuguese linen art – these are perfect gifts and often used as drink coasters or simply for display in the home. Assorted boxes of chocolates with beautiful typography and packaging as well as Portuguese sweets are for sale, alongside vintage wooden toys, beautiful hand painted tile art that Portuguese like to display by the window as well as vintage stationery from pencils to note books and the traditional pencils where calendars are printed on the pencils. This corner shop is a little enclave housed in Albergue 1601, where local artists workshops and intimate scale exhibitions take place and a veritable little slice of Portugal in Macau.

Mercearia Portuguesa. Albergue 1601. Walk of Saint Lazarus Church No. 8 
Macau SAR, China Tel: (853) 6654 6403. Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 1pm to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday: 12pm to 9pm

Sartor Lab

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Sartor Lab is Macau’s answer to Made to Measure. The minimalist boutique with airy, stark interiors and two full racks of pant suits gives off an air of an upscale New York store. Local duo Victor Choi and Kade Chou opened their atelier in January 2015 with a ready to wear collection. Chou graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology New York, and comes from a family of tailors in Macau, and Choi from London armed with a marketing degree. Creative lead Jay Li joined them recently with years of experience designing for Li & Fung USA as well as Thom Browne New York. The Ready to Wear suits range from 4000MOP and up, while shirts range anything from 480MOP to 1800 depending on choice of fabric and cut. Pour over the swatches of fabric, as the team only works with the finest textiles, with selections from Zegna, Loro Piana to Scabal, Thomas Mason and more. Sartor Lab has taken Made to Measure in Macau up a notch, introducing a travelling style consultant and tailor to their business, with their first stop in New York this October before travelling to different cities in China. As they take their bespoke tailoring services on the road, they continue to be fully committed to walk-in clients – suits typically take about three to four weeks to be made, and up to five weeks over peak seasons like Chinese New Year. Handmade cufflinks are also available starting from 380MOP.

Sartor Lab, Rua de Brás da Rosa 26, Macau, Macao Tel: (853) 6557 2640. Opening hours: Everyday 12pm-8pm, closed on Public Holidays.

Prism Creative Macau

You won’t miss this store is a diamond in the rough, located on a street of old shops and local eateries with a floor to ceiling window display of local designer wares. Apart from a random and interesting selection of art, jewellery and crafts, they conduct workshops for the community and encourage plenty of Do-it-yourself type of DIY creativity, running craft workshops from making leather bags to jewellery and candles. Artists digital art works are always on commission, on the wall hangs A1 size canvas of digital art by local Macau artist known by his pseudonym “Big Ear Cow”. Here is a great place to pick up some souvenirs and gifts, including greeting cards in beautiful typography and illustrations, handmade jewellery by both Macau and Hong Kong designers. There’s also a shelf of Chinese design books as well as books featuring the artworks of “Big Ear Cow” and design magazines for design/art buffs who need some inspiration from books and magazines. Other products range from leather stationery, hand carved candles to hand bound books and embroidery.

Prism Creative Macau

37 R/C A, Rua das Estalagens, Macau Tel: (853) 63715152

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 230pm-8pm. Closed on Mondays.

En Masse

This boutique brings to Macau a curated inventory of bespoke and eclectic items from accessories to stationery and household items like “Tiny Tree” handmade terrariums with funny mise en scenes. Products run the gamut from cushion covers to pugs on mugs, accessories from Analog wooden watches to women’s costume jewellery – the shop’s vibe shows a very organic and creative selection of products. Here, you’ll also find fun household items from Thai design Qualy and Thai label Mazmoizelle that specially creates bags and accessories from cork. Or maybe even pick up some designer wear for your pooch as they stock the British pet label Devon & Drew.

En Masse Macau

Rua Nova à Guia 110, Macau, Macao Tel: (853) 6268 2677

Opening Hours: Everyday 1pm-9pm

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