AS Watson dispenses nostalgia at 185th anniversary celebrations

AS Watson has marked its 185th anniversary with a whirlwind of joyous celebrations, honouring its roots in 1841 as the Hong Kong Dispensary while embracing the innovations of tomorrow. Marking precisely its date of incorporation as A.S. Watson & Company, Limited – 19 January 1886 – to the same date in 2026, the Group unveiled the AS Watson Museum at its headquarters in Hong Kong.

Chairman Dominic Lai and Group CEO Malina Ngai of AS Watson led the team members to see exhibition artefacts, photos and interactive displays tracing the pharmacy’s journey from a modest dispensary to an Asian and European retail giant. Over 2,500 colleagues from Hong Kong and across Asia tuned in live from across the continent, toasting their shared heritage and AS Watson’s “human touch”.

The celebrations extended well beyond Hong Kong, with the European team in the Netherlands marking the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a lion dance.

Did you know that in the 1820s, one of Watsons’ very first outposts stood on Guangzhou’s Shamian Island, and is now listed as a cultural relic with its own commemorative plaque? Bringing its history to life, Watsons China launched a pop-up in that same location, recreating the old pharmacy interiors from that era. Over Chinese New Year, 100,000+ visitors flocked to the pop-up, where they could shop a line of 46 exclusive products and create their own AI-generated newspaper.

The company pioneered Western medicine in Hong Kong and always prioritised community health, providing over a century of free medicine and medical scholarships to those in need. The scholarships, still active today, famously benefited Dr Sun Yat-sen. Today, AS Watson’s dedication to its customers and community shines as brightly as ever and only continues to grow. From showcasing its heritage to embracing tech-forward pop-ups, the same spirit from the 19th century continues to evolve and make the world of people-first retail a better place.