Taipei restaurant supporting Hong Kong democracy movement closes all physical stores following blaze

A Taipei restaurant providing job opportunities to exiled Hongkongers announced on Monday that they have shut down all physical shops close to four months after a fire broke out at ones of its premises.

Aegis, a popular eatery founded by pro-democracy lawyer and district councillor Daniel Wong last March, said in a Facebook post on Monday that its online store selling merchandise with messages lined to the 2019 anti-extradition bill protest, will remain in operation.

In August, a fire broke out destroying all stock, fittings and machinery in its stock room, according to Aegis.

It took the restaurant four months to deal with the aftermath of the blaze, including compensating its neighbours, selling its equipment to pay for maintenance and reparations, and restoring the store front.

“We have learned a lot in the midst of all these, we reluctantly took down the sign, and all our efforts have gone down the drain, everything has become history…” Aegis’ Facebook post read.

“This is a challenge fate has given us, we have closed down all our physical shops, but we will continue our path with the online store, we are also grateful for the products donated by all of you, for us to hold on and hang in there!”

Aegis previously cited financial difficulties owing to compensation and restoration costs in their decision to close.

The fire was not the first incident the restaurant suffered after its opening in April last year. In October last year, the restaurant was trashed with chicken manure.