Vintage vibe sets the scene for a new story

Memory lane

Amid the technology-driven conformity of the digital age, Brightman's shop insists on a nostalgic mode of management — information on its books and albums rest on customers' individual exploration and shopkeeper knowledge.

"A part of the shop is old-fashioned," Brightman says. "It's about the surprise and discovery of spending time browsing through books you never knew existed before, which gives a real sense of achievement."

The shop also boasts a red telephone booth, almost extinct in Hong Kong. Old CDs featuring famous bands and orchestras from across the world are stacked up next to a CD player. On the ceiling, a painting of a beautiful blue sky with soft white clouds evokes a soothing dreamland.

"My friend and I designed a space for listening in the telephone booth, where you can pick up a CD and enjoy the music for a whole afternoon," Brightman says.

His love for a nostalgic Hong Kong began with his foray into the realm of filmmaking and a story about an old market.

His debut film when he was at the International Academy of Film and Television Hong Kong was a 15-minute documentary about Graham Street Market, a 160-year-old market in Hong Kong's Central District.

As one of the oldest traditional markets in Hong Kong on the edge of demolition, the market offered a place for hawkers selling fresh produce and handmade products for local customers.

"Because of the urban redevelopment in Hong Kong, vendors had to leave and shops were closed. Those fruit sellers, those meat sellers, were leaving at the time," Brightman says. "I was horrified by that and I thought to myself, 'I'm gonna document this'."

With help from his local friend Rosa Ma, Brightman met various street vendors on Graham Street, from the uncle at the pork stall to neighbors with deep intergenerational relationships.

"I still remember the guy who sold DVDs. I would go back to the same store every year and meet the man's family. They always remembered me and every time I went, they would have some little gift for me," Brightman says.

"I was blown away by that because I'm just a guy from London that pops over here. They were so kind and I could always find warmth and mutual respect from those vendors in the traditional markets."

Brightman formed a unique connection with the vendors in the old market. With his camera, he tenderly captured the stories of the old street market that still thrives amid Hong Kong's urban renewal.