Business Spotlight: Go Believe Bakery
Mr. Lai, owner of Go Believe Bakery (Photo by Steven Yen Photography)
Welcome to Chinatown spoke with Connie Lai, the daughter of Go Believe Bakery’s owner, Mr. Lai, who started the business in 2012. Go Believe Bakery, a grant recipient of The Longevity Fund, is your staple neighborhood Chinese bakery. They serve up classic Chinese breads and pastries and also a variety of 腸粉 (“cheong fun”/rice crepes), noodle soups, dim sum dishes, and more.
Tell us who you are!
My dad’s been in the bakery business since he was really young. His dad made wonton noodles back in China, and his dad was a big influence on him choosing to work with food. China also provided a stipend for young people to learn from others in the food industry. He had a choice between making noodles or bread, and he chose bread. He was 23 when he started to learn how to bake.
When he came to the US in ’87, he looked for work related to baking, and worked in Brooklyn at a very small Chinese baked goods manufacturer. He worked at that factory for four years, and then at another factory for 2 years, doing everything bakery and pastry related.
In ’98, he started his own bakery with a bunch of his peers. It’s still there on Bowery, but with different owners now. He was at that bakery for 2 years, but closed that business when the B/D Grand Street Station closed for a few years in the early 2000s due to 9/11.
He ventured into restaurants for a bit afterwards, but running a bakery was always what he loved. So in 2012, he opened Go Believe Bakery. Our first location was super small, only half the size of just the front section of where we are now. In 2015, he opened our current Grand Street location, and then decided to move everything there.
What’s your dad’s favorite thing to bake?
He loves making the white steamed buns with different kinds of fillings.
What’s the popular thing to order?
Our customers really like the steamed buns, like the pork buns, and golden lava egg yolk buns. Our loaves of raisin bread that you can pull apart are also popular.
What does your dad love the most about Chinatown?
He likes it a lot. It’s very convenient for everyday errands, and it’s not difficult for him to communicate with others who speak his first language. His favorite place to eat is Royal Seafood, and he also likes to go to Jing Fong and visit one of his cousins who works there.
How do you think Chinatown will fare, and how will the neighborhood survive?
Photo by Steven Yen Photography
The phone was off the hook with people asking us when we would reopen. A lot of people missed us, and that encouragement from customers really gave us confidence that our business could keep going. But it hasn’t been easy - we’ve also had a 50% loss of business. Before, a lot of people would sit and eat, then take something to go, but now it’s just to-go orders. When the pandemic is over and done with, though, I’m confident that people will come back to Chinatown.
It’s hard to watch businesses shutting down. Some of them have been in the neighborhood for a long time till now. Right now is the worst I’ve seen, to be honest. 9/11 was tough, but this is the worst I’ve seen in terms of businesses shutting down and turning over.
I think the pandemic has created opportunities for gentrification, and I hate to see the community displaced. If I wanted to open something in the future, I have to think of high costs like rent. If I come back 10 years from now, will I see a Chinese restaurant again?
But I think the best part of Chinatown is that we’re so resilient. There will always be a need for a Chinese bakery and restaurants. And I think the many in my generation, though we were taught to chase office jobs, even if we don’t contribute with physical labor to Chinatown businesses, we can bring our unique perspective. I think there might be a wave of our generation that brings new fresh ideas to operating businesses here and that will help the neighborhood grow. I might want to take over the bakery one day. It’s stressful to think about, but I aspire to live up to my dad’s consistent, gold star standard.
Visit Go Believe Bakery at 239 Grand Street (between Bowery and Chrystie Street) and try out their steamed buns!
Chinatown establishments like Go Believe Bakery are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support now more than ever before to keep that spirit alive. Please consider making a donation to our small business relief fund, The Longevity Fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help say Chinatown will always be open for business.
