This listicle is part of our Zolima’s Picks series, where we highlight creative spaces and businesses across Hong Kong. We’ve independently selected each location to bring you our recommendations. Stay tuned for more of our bookshop roundups!
After sharing our picks for indie bookshops on Hong Kong Island and in the New Territories, we now bring you to the heart of the city — Kowloon. From the city’s only comic bookshop in Lai Chi Kok to our venue partner in Jordan, which hosted our Neon Is Not Dead Mandarin book sharing last month, we’ve mapped a route featuring eight Kowloon indie bookshops. Although spread across the district, none are far from one another and all can be reached within a 30-minute ride by the MTR.
Whether you’re searching for hidden gems, exploring local culture or enjoying the city’s creative energy, this route offers a true taste of Kowloon’s indie book scene.
Epic One (Comics)
Originally called Collectors’ Comics, the bookshop’s first location was in Mong Kok’s Sino Centre, where it operated for nearly two decades, from 2006 to 2025. Once surrounded by comic bookshops specialising in Taiwanese and Japanese titles, it relocated in late 2025 to its second and current home in an industrial building in Lai Chi Kok and was renamed Epic One. “It’s the only shop in the city that exclusively sells Hong Kong comics,” says owner Dicky Lam.
An avid reader and collector himself, Lam showcases his collection throughout the industrial space: shelves lined with Hong Kong comics spanning the 1960s to the present day, and glass cabinets filled with action figures and original framed artworks displayed like paintings.
Rather than simply selling books, the owner also collaborates with comic artists and publishers, helping to shape each title’s themes and artistic direction before bringing the finished works into Epic One. The bookshop also hosts events occasionally to foster closer connections between artists and readers, such as a recent exclusive dinner celebrating legendary comic artist Tony Wong’s birthday and the success of his latest instalment in the Legend of Emperors (天子傳奇) series.
Through these efforts, Lam hopes more people will come to appreciate and discover the charm of Hong Kong comics. “Because if there were no Hong Kong comics,” he says, “then part of the city’s and its people’s memories would disappear too.”
Epic One (Comics) is located at room B, 12/F, Long To Building, 654-656 Castle Peak Road, Lai Chi Kok. It is open from Monday to Saturday, 12:15 to 20:15.
I’m Thirsty, a book cafe in Cheung Sha Wan.
I’m Thirsty
Painted in eye-catching shades of yellow, blue and orange, I’m Thirsty is hard to miss among the industrial buildings of Cheung Sha Wan. Founded by globetrotters Fred Lam and Sonya Fock, the travel-focused space occupies a 70-year-old tong lau and comprises a ground-floor café, an exhibition space on the second floor, a bookshop called Thirsty for the Unknown on the third, an event space on the fourth and a rooftop garden.
On the third floor, visitors will find a carefully curated collection divided into three categories: informative titles on history and world politics; recreational books on topics like photography, architecture, food and culture; and publications on Hong Kong.
Beyond books, Lam regularly organises events that encourage people to connect and deepen their understanding of the city. Around 20 events are held each month in the building, ranging from book talks and walking tours to traveller gatherings. One of the most popular is the “traveller’s stall” (旅人地攤, leui5 yan4 dei6 taan1). Each session invites around six travellers to set up stalls with items they carry on the road, from photos and maps to souvenirs, and share their travel stories with visitors.
Another interesting event is a death-themed walking tour of Cheung Sha Wan, which takes participants to places connected to significant historical events and incidents in the neighbourhood. Each tour ends back at I’m Thirsty, where participants can sit for a drink or head upstairs to browse books for further reading.
“Adventure, knowledge and community are what we want to develop here,” says Lam. “Ultimately, we hope to encourage people to start their journey and find what they’re thirsty for.”
I’m Thirsty is located at 452 Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha Wan. The bookshop, Thirsty for the Unknown, is closed on Tuesday.
Book Punch
A vibrant cultural space in Sham Shui Po founded in 2020, Book Punch takes its name from the Japanese manga One-Punch Man with one simple wish: “wake readers up with one punch” to inspire changes.
To promote reading and enlightenment, owner Pong Yat-ming organises the bookshop into 14 distinctive themes, including “Translating HK,” “Useless Therefore Useful,” “A for Anarchism,” “Latin America Is Here” and “Human Diversity.” Through this unique categorisation, the bookshop encourages readers to discover books from new perspectives. From local publications to English-language and second-hand books across a wide range of subjects, Book Punch offers a diverse selection for all kinds of readers, as well as overseas publications ordering services.
What makes the bookshop unique is that it doesn’t offer book discounts, but instead gives readers something more refreshing — locally grown vegetables and fruits. The owner hopes this encourages people not to focus solely on price when purchasing, but to appreciate the value behind what they choose, while supporting both the book industry and Hong Kong agriculture.
Beyond books, Book Punch also organises various events, from book and film sharing sessions to stand-up comedy workshops, creating a space for community building and exchange. “Knowledge can be very powerful,” Pong said in an interview with Chinese media. “A book can change your values and it can also move you to take action.”
Book Punch is located at 3/F, Tai Nan Commercial Building, 169–171 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po. It is open from Monday to Sunday, 13:00 to 19:30 (Monday until 21:00).
Photo courtesy Hunter Bookstore
Hunter Bookstore
On the door of the two-storey Hunter Bookstore in Sham Shui Po is a poster reading “Living in Truth.” Founded in 2022 by former district councillor Leticia Wong Man-hun, the bookshop is named after her favourite anime, Hunter × Hunter, carrying the message “be a hunter, not naive prey.”
The ground floor features shelves of Chinese books across different themes, along with magazines, postcards, and a manga corner. Upstairs is a spacious area showcasing the owner’s personal collection, ranging from paintings to movie posters, and it occasionally hosts exhibitions and events. The bookshop also regularly curates book recommendations and events that respond to current trends and inspire readers.
True to its name, Hunter actively collaborates with other independent bookshops to support the city’s reading culture. Its initiatives include co-organising the independent book fair and launching Hong Kong’s first indie bookshop recommendation awards.
As the owner wrote when the space opened, “It is a bookshop that centres around problems and solutions. As long as we remain humble and keep thinking, that is enough.”
Hunter Bookstore is located at 100 Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po. It is open from Monday to Sunday, 12:00 to 21:00.
Have A Nice Stay
After the National Security Law was introduced in 2020, press freedom in the city was tightened, with some media outlets closing and journalists facing imprisonment. Have a Nice Stay (留下書舍, lau4 Ha6 Syu1 Se3) was founded during that time by five journalists who lost their jobs in 2022.
Located on the fourth floor of a tong lau in Prince Edward, the bookshop is dedicated to those who have chosen to stay in Hong Kong as well as to support the news industry. Its shelves hold books on reporting, press freedom and publications by journalists from around the world, alongside literature, history and philosophy, much like other independent bookshops.
Besides promoting journalism through books, the bookshop features a wall showcasing important news coverage, including the first edition of Apple Daily and special issues from Ming Pao and the South China Morning Post, offering visitors a glimpse at the first draft of history. The furniture in the bookshop also has a story to tell. Many pieces were collected from closed media outlets or donated by former district councilors. On some tables, you can still see marks left by journalists at work.
Returning to its roots, the founders hope the space can help people learn how to read the news critically and find useful information in a time of shrinking press coverage.
Have a Nice Stay is located at 3/F, 228 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok. It is closed on Monday.
Boundary Bookstore
Opened in 2022, Boundary Bookstore (界限書店, gai3 haan6 syu1 dim3) is known for its exploration of Hong Kong’s history, culture and identity. Its name — a nod to nearby Boundary Street — also reflects a desire to break from convention through hands-on reader experiences.
Sit inside the busy Nathan Centre Shopping Arcade, the bookshop welcomes visitors with an assortment of Hong Kong-themed curios, including maps, coasters and postcards. Further inside, shelves of neatly categorised Chinese-language books from the diaspora, featuring works from Malaysia, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong.
What sets Boundary apart from other bookshops is the level of detail behind its book display and curation. Unlike traditional bookshops that sort titles into categories like fiction or philosophy, Boundary organises its shelves around creative themes. With a human touch, each book is meticulously annotated with delicate diagrams and multisized cards that share playful details, from top three picks of the year to quirky “Did you know?” notes about key characters.
Every three to four months, the bookshop introduces a new seasonal theme. Previous concepts have centred on subjects such as book weight, from the lightest to the heaviest titles, as well as typography and design. The bookshop also hosts sharing sessions intended to break down the barriers between authors and readers.
Owner Leanne Liu hopes these interactions will inspire curiosity and foster an active reading culture reminiscent of a book club. “When you own a bookshop, it’s not just a commercial endeavour — you’re also creating an experience,” she says. “You don’t need to buy a book; you can sit, read, chat with the staff over a drink, or talk with authors and friends.”
Boundary Bookstore is located at Room A, 20/F, Mongkok Commercial Centre, 16 Argyle Street, Mong Kok. It is open Monday to Sunday, 13:00 to 18:00 (Friday and weekend until 22:00.
Hong Kong Reader
For 19 years, Hong Kong Reader has stood in the bustling Mong Kok, earning a reputation as a haven for bibliophiles. It was founded by three philosophy graduates from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, who dreamed of the bookshop as “an impetus of reasoning and thoughtfulness” for the city.
Inside the 600-square-foot space, bookshelves are packed with publications on humanities, social sciences, literature, history and philosophy. The shelves leave little room to move around, but by the windows there are seats offering visitors a quiet spot to read.
With the aim of creating a space for community and sparking inspiration, Hong Kong Reader also hosts cultural and academic events, ranging from talks and book sharing sessions to movie screenings. Over the years, the bookshop has organised more than 800 events in the city, promoting a reading culture and offering people a place to connect amid rapid social change.
Hong Kong Reader is located at 7/F, 68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok. It is open Monday to Sunday, 12:00 to 22:00.
Photo courtesy Beyond the Bubble Studio
Beyond the Bubble Studio
In today’s digital world, we all live in our own bubbles shaped by the information we see online. Beyond the Bubble Studio in Jardon was created to pop those bubbles. Founded last June by Fang Kecheng, an Associate Professor at CUHK’s School of Journalism and Communication, the space encourages people to put down their phones and reconnect with the real world.
Take the lift to the 13th floor and you’ll find lockers on the left for visitors to store their mobile phones. Across from them, shelves display a curated selection of titles in social sciences, humanities, history and literature, alongside a variety of unique cultural and creative products by both local and overseas artists. On weekends, the studio transforms into a lively cultural hub, hosting talks, workshops, screenings and walking tours. In April, the space co-organised the Chinese talk for our second Zolima Culture guide, Neon Is Not Dead, as our venue partner, sharing insights into the city’s neon culture.
Outside Hong Kong, the studio organises study tours to destinations such as Chengdu, Jeju Island and Yunnan, exploring topics ranging from public spaces and cultural celebrations to sustainable living. Through books, art, events and travel, the founder hopes the space can offer a truly human offline experience in an age dominated by social media and AI.
Beyond the Bubble Studio is located at Room B, 13/F, 44-52 Wai Ching Street, Jordan. It is open Monday to Sunday, 13:00 to 20:00.