Wellcome expands retro concept to two nostalgic stores

Wellcome has expanded its nostalgia-driven shopping concept with two newly reimagined stores in Kennedy Town and Mong Kok, as part of its "Everyday value" (係堅價) campaign.

The campaign has locked in low prices on 500 daily essentials, aligning with Wellcome's legacy as part of Hong Kong neighbourhoods since 1945.

The Victoria Road store in Kennedy Town gets the ding-ding treatment – Hong Kong’s beloved tram – with tram tracks on the floor, vintage green and yellow throughout, and a 1990s tram stop installation inside. Over in Mong Kok, the Sim City store goes full dai pai dong, with corrugated tin, neon signs and milk tea kettles to match.

According to Wellcome, both follow the success of Wellcome’s first nostalgia-concept store at Prosperous Garden in Yau Ma Tei, which opened earlier this year. All three are built around the same idea: old Hong Kong, brought back to life – through immersive displays, plenty of photo-taking opportunities, exclusive souvenirs and brand collaborations that locals and visitors can enjoy together.

Don’t miss: Wellcome transforms branch into retro Hong Kong experience

The Victoria Road store’s tram theme has tapped into something most Hongkongers carry with them. The ding-ding has always been more than just a way to get around – it is woven into the fabric of daily life, the way Wellcome itself has been for generations. 

Tapping into the small moments that stay with a person - a parent's hand on the ride home, an ice cream shared with school friends on a packed tram - the store has brought it all back. Vintage green and pastel yellow hues, photo-worthy installations, and tram tracks printed along the aisle floors invite shoppers to follow the route through old Hong Kong.

Furthermore, from 8 June to 11 July , a specially themed Wellcome tram will travel along Hong Kong Island, inviting everyone to embark on a retro journey through the city. Decked out in vintage colours and classic Wellcome motifs, the tram becomes a moving time capsule – a chance for locals and visitors alike to step aboard, relive collective memories, and experience the spirit of old Hong Kong.

On the other hand, the Sim City store sits at the heart of one of Hong Kong’s most vibrant districts – and it feels like it. The store has replicated the street-dining energy of open-air dai pai dong food stalls indoors, with a nod to that uniquely Hong Kong institution, the cha chaan teng – the milk-tea café where East meets West on every menu. 

Spread across two floors, the store greets customers with vintage red and yellow Wellcome signage at the entrance, while the staircase walls are lined with photographs of Nathan Road after dark in the 80s and 90s – neon lights, roast meat shops, cha chaan tengs and all. 

Photo spots and nostalgic installations have added to the immersive experience, transporting shoppers back to the bustling nightlife and golden-era charm of old Kowloon. The centrepiece is the Wellcome dai pai dong – instantly familiar to anyone who remembers the food stalls that once lined the district’s back streets. Kerosene stoves, oil lamps and Hong Kong-style milk-tea kettles recreate the atmosphere with real attention to detail. There’s also a retro ping-pong spring-pull machine, once a staple of local arcades – play for free with any purchase.

Back in May, Wellcome launched a whimsical campaign, “Love in every case,” introducing a pair of cardboard-box mascots - Mr. and Mrs. Case - to champion the perks of bulk buying on the Wellcome App.

Developed in partnership with creative agency de goose, the campaign runs until 11 June. It aims to position the Wellcome App as the premier destination for case deals by emphasising three core pillars: value, convenience, and variety. The campaign centres on a clever linguistic hook: “case love" (箱愛), a pun on the homophone “mutual love" (相愛). This playful wordplay is encapsulated in the tagline "Love in every case" (愛就成箱愛), designed to be both memorable and shareable.

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