[spectramax]

Hyper-specialization is everywhere if you ever step into any Asian country.

Indians even have last names based on their hyper-specialized occupation. I was in Thailand and I saw a tiny shop whose only job was to take old torn notes and exchange it for a new one by charging a small flat fee. I had an Indian friend that told me that specializations in old cities was also geographically organized. One part of street would only sell pressure cookers while another side would sell watering cans.

[blowski]

> I had an Indian friend that told me that specializations in old cities was also geographically organized. One part of street would only sell pressure cookers while another side would sell watering cans.

That’s how London used to be, which is why the area around St Paul’s has roads like “Leather Lane”, “Milk Street”, and “Poultry”.

[fredophile]

I found Kowloon to be like this when I was visiting Hong Kong a few years ago. One that stands out in my mind was turning a corner and being on a street that seemed to sell nothing but pet turtles and fish.

[spectramax]

Wow. Did you happen to take pictures? If you do, please share as any photographic insight into Kowloon walled city is highly sought after!

[fredophile]

Kowloon and Kowloon walled city are not the same thing. Kowloon walled city was long gone when I made that trip.

[vkou]

Parts of Manhattan are still that way. There's a potted plant street, a fabric street...

[madcaptenor]

For a US example of this, see the Patel Motel Cartel (https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/04/magazine/a-patel-motel-ca...)

[jamespitts]

This is why I love Taiwan, so many interesting shops.

Small store size, walkable streets and alleyways, cheap rent, not many rules about what you can do. People will take care of the rest.

[s_trumpet]

The legendary Sodabottleopenerwala - possibly apocryphal.