Biu Kee Mahjong, which closed in October 2022 after receiving an eviction notice from the Buildings Department, reopened at its original Jordan location this month. Last September, the government directed the store’s owners to down its shutters as it was situated at the foot of the staircase of a tong lau tenement, which made it an illegal premises.
However, in a Facebook post, the owners revealed that they submitted proposals to rework the structure at the end of last year so that it would comply with the Buildings Ordinance. The proposals were approved, and the staff relocated to temporary premises while the original site was refitted to comply with the relevant Buildings Department regulations.
The announcement about the store reopening at its location opposite Temple Street Night Market was made in an Instagram post last week. The owner, Cheung Shun King (known fondly as Uncle King), will continue making hand-crafted and customised mahjong tiles, which he began doing when he was a teenager.
The news of Biu Kee Mahjong’s reopening comes after popular bakery Happy Cake Shop – which closed in August 2022 – opened its doors in a new location in Wan Chai under the name Happy Bakery.
Header image credits: @biukee_mahjong via Instagram
