Memories of Mercury Plaza

When my parents and I first migrated to Aotearoa from Hong Kong in 1996, New Gum Sarn Supermarket in Mercury Plaza was one of the only existing Asian supermarkets which sold cooking ingredients for Chinese food. Although I was too young to have memories of us grocery shopping there as a family, it remains an integral part of our migration journey, and a marker of what reminded my parents of “home” in their new home.

This significance of Mercury Plaza is shared for many migrants-of-colour who arrived in Aotearoa in the mid-nineties, and continues to act as a reminder of home for newer migrants, with an array of restaurants which are reminiscent of street food stalls in Asia.

Sadly this year, Mercury Plaza will be closing its doors to make way for Karangahape Station as part of the City Rail Link project by Auckland Council. In the light of this, Migrant Zine Collective has collated “Memories of Mercury Plaza”, a zine to archive memories of the space. This was made possible with the help of Mercury Plaza Show, as curated by Jia Luo and Joni Lee. Thanks to all the contributors for submitting your memories!

- Helen Yeung, Founder of Migrant Zine Collective @chinesegoth @migrantzinecollective @mercuryplazashow Printed in Aotearoa/New Zealand, September 2019.

Cover art by Pon Huey Min @mincreative

I think about Mercury Plaza in what I consider its heyday – around 2001 to 2005, when I was fresh off the plane and still had traces of my accent. All Chinese migrants find their way to Mercury Plaza eventually, a recommendation continuously snaking its way through the community, lured by the hope to taste home. My family and I would pile into the car and haul from the deep recesses of the North Shore to the shiny city; Mercury Plaza was the often the only thing we ever visited there. We would always get the char kway teow cooked

by Albert Ooi at Albert’s Place, smoky and hot and an edible reminder we weren’t alone. After Albert left Mercury, we hardly went back: instead, in our loyalty, we followed him to his stall at Ponsonby International Foodcourt, and later worshiped at the plate in Ngopi.

When I went back in my university years, Mercury Plaza felt colder, stickier, and more distant than when I would bump elbows with my mum and dad as a small six-year-old, peering around at Auckland’s version of a hawker centre. It still holds great nostalgia, and I’m bereft at its saddened state. Albert Ooi retired a few years ago, and no char kway teow tastes the same.

- Words submitted by Jean Teng

This exhibition is so special to me because it has a photo of my grandma on it. Grandma is happy with the photo of her and her friend at their South China normal university cafeteria (they are retired lecturers who now live on the campus). It was a huge blessing to showcase alongside other amazing Chinese artists in Tāmaki makaurau. Thanks again to the amazing curators.

- Submitted by Diana hu

Artwork by local artist Abbey Gamit (@jpegmezaddy) on her partner Kevin Shen’s (@icecreamkev) childhood memories, where his parents would take him to Mercury Plaza and they would do their groceries, haircut etc. The photos were taken by the both of them on a recent visit, when he decided to bring his parents back to Mercury Plaza for a visit, after not being there for almost a decade.

It’s 7pm. Did she order the same dumpling dish as last time? I hope so.

I’m 8 years old, on planet Mercury and the air is thick with grease and strange sounds.

“This place was a haven between myself, and my closest friend, during a time when spending time together was hard to come by.

He can’t be here today, but he wanted me to. So, I am going to have one last meal here, for both of us.”

-E

I often do my rice run to New Gum Sarn at the Mercury Plaza.

Even though some might question my choice of rice brand, but it’s what reminds me of home the most.

My partner and I (and our dog) lives in the neighbourhood.

Much like the rice, the establishment is an essential part of our daily lives.

For an immigrant like myself and perhaps many others in the city, it’s the closest thing to home.

We’re really going to miss it.

- Words and photo submitted by Aisha Nursriamina Johan

I go there for take aways, Asian seasonings and sweet drinks / snacks too. But, I thought I’d include this.

A scan of one of the rice packagings I have collected throughout the years of buying rice from there.

- ‘Bye’ submitted by Clint Taniguchi

- Photo submitted by Aisha Nursriamina Johan