Hong Kong Family Moves Their Bookstore to Upstate New York

The differences between Hong Kong and Upstate New York are about as massive as you can get. One is a bustling metropolis, filling every square inch with shops, restaurants, and culture, and the other is a quiet, hardworking, and spacious area of simple living.

One family, however, was able to bring a taste of Hong Kong to Upstate...

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Leaving Hong Kong

In 2017, Albert Wan and his family opened a bookstore in Hong Kong, focusing on English Language Literature. The store wasn't traditional, it was built in an office building on the 27th floor.

They had a few years in the store before unrest hit the country in 2019, and the COVID pandemic finally forced them to shut their doors on August 29th, 2021. That door officially closed, but they were ready to open a new one in Upstate New York...

A New Beginning

Despite their closure, they continued receiving an outpouring of love on their online store, and decided they needed to keep it going. So, despite never having been to the country before, the family moved to America, specifically, Honeoye Falls in Western New York.

They didn't just open a new shop, they essentially brought their old one with them. No longer on an office floor, they had more space to work with, and were able to get bookshelves and floor plans to perfectly replicate the feel of their old shop. They also had an artist come in to create a mural depicting the original store on the ceiling.

On June 24, 2023, Bleak House Books officially opened at 5 W. Main Street in Honeoye Falls.