Between Delight Boutique and Khan Mobile Communications, the mobile phone and accessories business on the corner of Storey road facing the Chequers pub, is a shop aiming to sell jewelry and handcrafts from China in the £1 - £2 range. It was opened in classic Chinese style, being fitted out by industrious workmen installing shelves working until 11.00pm.
The shop actually does have goods more expensive than in the £1 - £2 pocket-money range they originally aimed for, particularly some Chinese fans, but on the whole they have managed to stock the place with a variety of items in the target price range.
These include a few toys, a lot of plastic jewelry, some metal bracelets, geegaws* with non-precious semi-precious stones, some plastic wrist watches, an array of plastic and artificial silk flowers, some belts, a few Bruce Lee and Jacky Chan posters for the young follower of Kung Fu movies, picture frames, tattoo transfers, umbrellas, sandals and an awful lot of Chinese lucky charms destined to adorn the driving mirrors of any local wannabe Beijing taxi drivers inspired by this year's Olympics. Fully laden with these must-have oriental accessories, customers can walk up the hill to China Ocean Buffer Restaurant to savour the cuisine, or stop off on the way at Books Ink for a recipe book followed by Orientex to pick up some of the ingredients to cook for themselves at home. Should they be overburdened by any of this, or the Kung Fu at Chan Wu Yi Physical Culture Centre in Blackhorse Road prove over-inspiring, Dr Zhong will no doubt try to help out with any injuries.
(* From the Middle English: 'giuegaue', meaning a decorative trinket or bauble).
To the right of the door is a young man operating a computer repair business.
[Updated 22 April 2009]