美利道多層停車場天橋擦鞋檔

I haven’t been working around the area long enough to confirm; but Uncle Lee (李伯), as most of his customers fondly call him, has been polishing shoes in this corner for two decades now. At 80 years young, he marks the history and nostalgia of a generation. He has never relied on welfare or subsidies, insisting on spending only what his hard work earns him.
He traveled from Malaysia to Hong Kong in the 1940s, and shifted through multiple jobs, from factory worker to barber to beggar. He later found his calling in shoe polishing, settling on the bridge connecting Murray Building Carpark, and has been practicing his trade there ever since.
It was his 16^th year in the trade, when in April 2009 he was arrested by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s Hawker Control Team for obstruction in a public place as well as unlawful/​illegal business operations. This led to a media outrage and attention and eventually in December 2009, Cap 132AG «Hawker (Permitted Places) Declaration» was announced, declaring the «Portion of the foot-​bridge in front of the east entrance of the Murray Road Multi-​storey Carpark Building» (L.N. 256 of 2009) legal for hawker activities. Uncle Lee, as well as a handful of other shoe polishers (mainly in Theatre Lane), were back in business.
A round of applause to the unwavering dedication and commitment of Uncle Lee for throughout the years. Also, a big thanks for reminding us all the virtue of working hard and not giving up. Lastly, so that this review remains objective, he really does a mean shoe polish!