1890s At the end of the 18th century, large-scale reclamation projects were carried out in an attempt to increase land supply for further development in Central. After the complete of the projects, large pieces of newly reclaimed land were available for sale. It was during this period that Kim Li Yuen bought part of the newly reclaimed land for property development. Li Yuen Street East named after Kim Li Yuen was formally founded in 1894. During that time, houses on the two sides of the streets were a hybrid of residential units and commercial outlets with the ground floor as shops and the upper floors as apartments. Street stalls that abound nowadays had not yet emerged.
Post-war period After World War II, most of Hong Kong's newspaper offices were set up on the Li Yuen Street East. Accompanied with the newspaper offices were also a number of printing workshops. Thus, during that period, Li Yuen Street East was dubbed as the "Newspaper Street". Every early morning, newly printed newspapers were delivered manually from the street to the rest of Hong Kong. Lines of workers carrying piles of newly printed newspapers at dawn formed a unique scene of Hong Kong that time.
Present day The newspaper offices did not last long on Li Yuen East Street. Gradually, they relocated to other places. It was during that time street stalls selling clothes succeeded the previous newspaper offices as the familiar scene of the street. As the number of foreign tourists increased, the street stalls diversified the goods they sold. As a result, a wide variety of goods can now be found on the street including clothes, drapery, accessories, and souvenirs. Resembling the "Women Street" in
Mong Kok,
Kowloon, Li Yuen Street East is now dubbed as "Central’s Women Street" and has become a popular tourist spot in Central. ==Intersections==