Hong Kong has always been a shopping paradise for many Filipinos. But with stringent quarantine protocols still in place, for most of us, exploring Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui and Central and spending our hard-earned moolah remain but a dream.

This hasn’t stopped those in the know from getting what they want from Hong Kong, though. They turn to a man called Longbeard.

“Parang James Bond,” Longbeard joked in an interview with Lifestyle. It isn’t a stretch—he does go on missions, sometimes nearly impossible shopping missions.

Since 2003, long before the pandemic, Longbeard has been making people’s shopping dreams come true.

Shopping for strangers

Longbeard worked in telecommunications, first in Manila, and then in the United States, until a boss convinced him to move to Hong Kong from Los Angeles.

“I didn’t want to move. Why move out of the USA? That’s what all my friends and coworkers were saying. Plus, I didn’t speak the language. But my boss didn’t leave the house until I confirmed that I would move to Hong Kong.”

Longbeard would move and thrive in Hong Kong. And as early as back then, friends and family members would ask him to buy stuff for them. Eventually, word spread about his service and soon, he became a personal shopper even for strangers not just in the Philippines, but also Thailand and Indonesia. “I was just at the right place at the right time,” he said.

And what do his customers ask him to buy? “Anything under the sun, as long as it’s legal,” said Longbeard.

These days, handbags and accessories remain very popular with his clientele. He buys shampoos, dresses, makeup, shoes, snacks, toys and more.

Above and beyond

His customers like getting the very important person treatment, he said. Luckily, Longbeard’s wife, Grace, is supportive and understanding, even when clients call him at 3 a.m. with a rush order. “I am thankful for my wife who always supports me in the things that I do. She’s always patient especially when I’m really busy with things that need to be done.”

Longbeard goes above and beyond for his customers—it’s just part of who he is, he said.

“My engineering professor back in college had a big impact on me. He taught me to always make sure I do anything to the best of my abilities, and to never quit.”

This carried over to his telco days. “Any time of the day, I would answer the phone in one ring, be it 2 a.m. or 4 a.m. I was always available to resolve issues and would be at the site in 30 minutes, whether it was Parañaque, Makati or Sampaloc. The same was true in the US. If needed, I’d fly from Oakland to Los Angeles on a weekend to restore circuits.”

And he applies the same can-do attitude when it comes to personal shopping. “I make things happen—that’s what customers always say. They call when there’s no hope. Old customers would tell new customers, ‘Kaya ni Longbeard yan. Maaasahan yan.’”

Money’s worth

He said, “I am always fair and reasonable. I always want the customer to get their money’s worth even if sometimes it’s not profitable for me.”

One customer started by asking Longbeard to buy Nike sneakers for her. Since then, her orders grew and grew to include accessories and even VLT drinks that she’d give to friends at Christmas. Many of this customer’s friends became Longbeard’s customers, too.

But not all customers like referring friends, choosing to keep Longbeard their shopping secret.

The pandemic slowed business down drastically for Longbeard. “It was like people were on survival mode,” he said.

This led to other personal shoppers (even those who are close to him) aggressively poaching his customers. Oh yes, there’s intense competition in the world of personal shopping.

But, Longbeard says, “I’ve been reminded time and time again, always do good things and good things will always come your way.”

Some customers may come and go but there are those who stick around forever. “Customers always find a way to find me.”

For Longbeard, serving his customers is more than just a business, it’s his passion.

“One thing I’ve learned is passion is the key and the rest is destiny. That’s the key to running it for so long. I love what I’m doing. I’m always happy to be of service and to give people a good feeling. Times are tough for everyone, and I remind people who miss Hong Kong that I will bring Hong Kong to you. I’ve made it a point to bring Hong Kong to my customers. I bring happiness and joy.”

Find @longbeardhkg on Instagram or contact him via +85267307779 on WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber.