AJ Halkes

Pandemic over yet sales are worse for some Hong Kong Food & Beverage outlets than they were during it : why ? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Some Hong Kong operators are seeing sales below those during the Covid period; when Hong Kong was almost totally isolated from the world. Despite this reopening of […]

Reimagining Hong Kong’s Streets By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Let’s have more fixed-pitch and itinerant hawker licenses — surely, we can do better moving forward. What if we embraced a bold, dynamic policy to revive our streets, making them more textured, lively and more entrepreneurial : like they used to be? Hong Kong has

Is Commercial Real Estate in Hong Kong Truly Unaffordable? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law People in Hong Kong consistently claim you can’t buy a decent business premises so they are held hostage by greedy landlords; yet perhaps they are slightly out of touch. Monitoring the market and understanding trends can be tough, especially for

Isn’t it time we got Hong Kong moving again with a modern ride-hailing solution, like Uber, if our taxi industry is stuck in the past? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law From haggling with drivers and being ignored to enduring old vehicles, feeling unsafe and getting out mid-trip, the daily woes of Hong Kong taxis

Is it worth moving to live near to a members club in Hong Kong to enjoy community and amenities without the hefty management fees of a luxury residential block? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Reading a piece in the FT Weekend got me thinking about this idea. Many years ago, while living on Shu

Lets go to Osaka for dinner next week ! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Should we try Japan next week for dinner and is it cheaper than staying in Hong Kong for a couple of Omakase nights out? Some in the Japanese dining trade in Hong Kong are complaining that it is now “worse

One area to change about your food & beverage business that may boost profits By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law The iconic STAUNTON”S in Hong Kong (One of the earliest open fronted premises) Operators frequently forget that any restaurant, bar or club in Hong Kong that sells liquor can always apply to change any “conditions”

Is your wearable a lie detector or something that might just save your life? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law The metrics measured by traditional lie detector machines are respiration, perspiration, heart rate and blood pressure. Traditionally at least, these metrics are based on the idea that if somebody is not behaving in accordance with

Shenzhen’s Transformation—A Glimpse Across and Along the disappearing Border! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Just spent the past few days viewing Shenzhen from both sides, and the changes are remarkable. During a visit organized by the Australian Chamber of Commerce, I was amazed by the innovative leaps on display. From Tencent to Mindray, the

The Future of Delivery Is Here – And It’s Transforming Hong Kong – street by street! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law “Think local, act local” is causing sweeping changes across Hong Kong’s delivery landscape. I have noticed the surge of CaiNiao delivery hubs popping up in small holes-in-the-wall and ground-floor shops all around the city? This

Hong Kong is protecting “phone-watching zombies” with a modern safety initiative. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law We’ve all seen it: people walking around glued to their phones, heads down, oblivious to anyone and anything around them. It’s basically walking down the street staring at your feet. Even I’m guilty of it sometimes. To protect

Hong Kong’s Blueprint for Arts & Culture: Will It Finally Deliver? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Is the new plan for arts, culture, and the creative industries too narrow—or could it spark real growth in culture and tourism? With Rosanna Law stepping in to lead this crucial government department, there’s a glimmer of hope

Time to buy property in Hong Kong for F&B… or Not? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I consistently hear that it’s impossible to buy commercial property in Hong Kong on the part of retailers or food and beverage operators; so they are stuck as renters for ever. They claim prices are too high and

Can Coffee and Cake save the Hong Kong F&B Industry ? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Good Day Coffee Co – G/F #23A Shing Mun New Village Kam Tin is making more than coffee Every day the new coffee shop springs up, but as soon as that has happened, another one closes down. The

Transforming Hong Kong’s Food & Beverage Industry with an easy access Outdoor Seating system. By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Imagine a bustling city where it’s easy to operate outdoor seating to breathe new life into the food and beverage industry, providing a much-needed boost to businesses. Hong Kong’s outdoor seating accommodation (OSA) provisions saw

If Media Whispers are True, Insomnia Lan Kwai Fong, an Iconic HK Venue is Closing Forever By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law For over twenty years Insomnia Lan Kwai Fong has been more than just a venue; it’s been a symbol of the vibrant, sleepless energy that defines Hong Kong; the heartbeat of Lan Kwai Fong.

Is the chance to acquire the iconic property used by Insomnia in the heart of Hong Kong a hidden gem or a poisoned chalice? By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law This question takes me back to a deal I was involved in. The buyer was told by a middleman that the vendor’s asking price was

It’s time to think about the future of these Hong Kong streets creatively By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law Hong Kong’s heritage has been fading and one of the clearest signs is the disappearance of iconic small street stalls. Once bustling hubs of entrepreneurial energy, many of these micro-stalls are now shuttered, sitting in limbo,

My first collection of 3D Hong Kong anaglyphs (stereo photos) from the 80s! By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law I’m truly excited to share my first collection of 3D Hong Kong anaglyphs (stereo photos) from the 80s! 📷 After more than a year of reimagining and digitally crafting this fine art window into my Hong