Lockhart Road
Russell Street used to be a traditional Chinese wet market where hawkers sold vegetables, fruits, meats and groceries. Dai pai dong (cooked-food stores) could also be found along the street. Due to the lack of hygiene and sanitation knowledge at that time, mice infestation was very serious in there—people even called Russell Street the "Mouse Street". The Jian family, in 1905, founded The Nanyang Brothers' Tobacco Co., based in Russell Street. Due to the intense rivalry with the monopoly, British American Tobacco company, the Jian family declared bankruptcy and closed the factory in 1908. In the 1920s, Hong Kong Tramways built a tram depot by Russell Street, mainly for tram repair and parking. As the demand for tram service grew, the old Russell Street tram depot could no longer park all the trams Hong Kong Tramways owned. The company decided to expand the Russell Street depot, and at the same time built a temporary tram depot in North Point to ease tram parking problem. In 1951, Hong Kong Tramways finished the renovation of Russell Street depot, renamed it as Sharp Street depot. The North Point temporary tram depot was then closed. Not long after the expansion of the Russell Street tram depot, the Tramway workers resented Hong Kong Tramways for unjustifiable dismissal and break of employment contract, which eventually caused a labour dispute in 1952. In 1989, Lockhart Road market reconstruction completed. Hawkers and Dai Pai Dong on Russell Street all moved into the new Lockhart Road market. The Sharp Street depot (formerly Russell Street depot) was shut down and demolished. All trams were moved to Sai Wan Ho and Whitty Street depot. The site of Russell Street was then reconstructed into Times Square.