Longevity Fund Recipients: Business Spotlights

Open since 1968, Hop Kee is one of the oldest restaurants in Chinatown and serves up traditional Chinese Cantonese style comfort food late into the night in a no-frills, basement location on a historic corner of Mott Street. 

Ming and Irene are the proud owners of Imperial Ballroom Dance Studio, which has brought the Chinatown community together since 1995. As Chinese immigrants from Vietnam and Malaysia, the duo fell in love because of their shared passion for dance &started our business together.

K & E Fine Jewelry offers a wide variety of fine jewelry, including custom pieces, and in-house repairs. The custom jewelry he & his wife Eva designed have become family heirlooms for adoring clients who love their jewelry creations, service and affordable prices.

After escaping the Vietnam War by boat, Dennis Chung came to New York with his family at the age of 21 to start a new life. In 1995, Mr. Chung purchased Pasteur Grill and Noodles (originally founded in 1987 as “Pasteur”) to showcase the cuisine from his childhood. 

Located a block away from the Manhattan Bridge, Sam Wai Liquor is the oldest liquor store in Chinatown with a liquor license going back 120 years. Alex Chin and his wife purchased the business in 1997 from the previous owner who wished to retire.

Wai Wah Market, a small grocery store that provides fresh produce, dry goods, & unique Asian snacks to the Chinatown community. Guan Mei & his wife opened the original Wai Wah Market in 1999 after noticing that the Guangdong community didn’t have many options for their needs.

Kelly Hair Salon is located in the oldest section of Chinatown on the corner of Pell Street and Doyers Street. Owner and hairstylist Kwok Wing Yau grew up in Hong Kong and has been cutting hair since he was a teenager. The salon has become a Chinatown staple.

Nestled underneath the tracks of the Manhattan Bridge is the East Broadway Mall, home to businesses that have been a Chinatown staple for generations. Here you will find Long Jin Trading, a modest tea shop owned and run by Jinhui Deng for nearly a decade.

Alice, the manager of Ben Meat Market, opened the store with her husband, George, in 1995. For the past 25 years, Ben Meat Market has been serving juicy roast meat and supplying pantry staples to the Chinatown community from its storefront at 288 Grand Street. 

In 1978, Albert and his wife opened their custom suit and tailoring shop, Albert Lam Bespoke, on Lafayette Street. Since then, they have served generations of local Chinatown residents and earned a national reputation for expertly-crafted suits. 

Ken emigrated from Hong Kong when he was 10 years old and grew up in Chinatown, where he has been a pharmacy owner for 36 years. Alisons Pharmacy opened its doors in 1994 and continues to provide safe and helpful services to the community.

SWAN is an educational nonprofit that has been teaching Chinese language and culture for the last 24 years. Their team of passionate educators strive to teach our next generation’s leaders all there is to know and love about Chinese culture and language.

Sagar Shakya has been the owner of Shakya Trading for three generations. His family has painstakingly created handmade Buddhist statues, including all statues in his retail store and online shop. They sell a variety of Buddhist cultural and religious goods, jewelry, and gifts.

Silk Road Café offers a variety of teas, bubble teas, and gourmet coffee along with pastries, light bites, and desserts. Owner Terry Zhuang started as an employee and bought the business in 2013 when the owner decided to retire.

The Little One makes high quality, Japanese-inspired shaved ice and desserts. After leaving their jobs to attend the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) & stints at top restaurants, Eddie Zheng & his wife, Olivia Leung, opened the shop in 2017 on the street where they grew up.

Heng Yun Groceries is a small convenience store that sells Chinese and American grocery items and household goods. During her 10+ years of working at the store, manager Yiyan Zhou has developed close relationships with many repeat customers who live in Chinatown.