| Type | Privately-owned company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Department store |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong, China |
| Area served | Hong Kong and Shanghai |
| Key people | Shareholders: Joseph Lau, Thomas Lau, Cheng Yu-tung, Henry Cheng |
| Parent | Lifestyle International Holdings |
| Website | Sogo Hong Kong Company Limited |
Sogo Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港崇光百貨) is one of the largest Japanese-style department stores in Hong Kong. It originally belonged to Japan's Sogo, but is now owned by Lifestyle International Holdings (HKEX: 1212), a company held by Hong Kong billionaire brothers Joseph Lau and Thomas Lau. It owns stores in Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong and Jiuguang Department Store in Shanghai.[1][2]
Sogo Hong Kong, parented by Japan's Sogo, commenced its operations in 1985 in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. It has been one of the important landmarks in Causeway Bay since then. In 1993, it underwent major renovation to become "Jumbo SOGO", expanding its area from 120,000 square feet (11,000 m2) to 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2).[3]
In 2000, Japan's Sogo declared bankruptcy under a US$17 billion debt.[4] Lifestyle International Holdings, owned by brothers Joseph Lau and Thomas Lau, and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, owned by Cheng Yu-tung, acquired Hong Kong Sogo.[5]
In 2005, Sogo Hong Kong opened its second store in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.[6] It planned its third store in Nina Tower, Tsuen Wan, but the plan was scrapped in 2006 after failing to agree to lease terms with Chinachem Group, Nina Tower's owner.[7]