Business Spotlight: Wah Yeung
One of the special aspects about Chinatown is the unique stores that sell cultural artifacts and curios that are significant to the Chinese community. Wah Yeung is a neighborhood staple where locals can buy Asian housewares as well as customary funeral accoutrements and good luck charms. The Longevity Fund strives to preserve institutions like these for both its local need as well as the notability it gives to the area. We spoke with Yeung Gong Mao, the owner of Wah Yeung and a Longevity Fund recipient, about his experiences.
The Longevity Fund aims to support Chinatown’s most at-risk businesses. As the only grant available exclusively to Chinatown’s small businesses, we need your support today. Make a donation here.
Tell us about your business and who you are
My name is Yeung Gong Mao and I’ve lived in Chinatown for over 20 years. I grew up in China, and I started working at a wood crafts factory when I was 19. When I first came to America in 1989, I worked at another store down the street. Years later, I opened Wah Yeung on Mulberry Street by myself. I sell Chinese antiques, furniture, and housewares
What inspired you to start your store and why in Chinatown?
In 2001, I opened this store so that I could sell items from the factory I used to work at in China. I learned how to hand carve wood at that factory and wanted to bring that artisanship and aspect of Chinese culture to America. Back then, Chinatown was the one place I could have this type of store. It’s a store that serves locals’ needs while also appealing to tourists who have never seen a place like this. Additionally, the language barrier is significant for me, and I don’t need to know much English to set up shop in Chinatown. Now, I stay in Chinatown because it’s where I’ve established community roots and my son goes to school nearby.
How have you been faring with the impact of COVID?
Since NYC’s shelter-in-place mandate in March, we’ve lost 70-80% of sales. When I first opened in Chinatown, business was good. Half our customers were locals and half were tourists. But even since 9/11, business has been going down in Chinatown overall. When business was good, I would have 8 people helping me in the store. Now, I have about 2-3 sometimes. I continue to open the store to keep up hope for the future.
How will The Longevity Fund help your business?
Though I appreciate the funds, it only helps with so much. It will definitely help with the rent. We are lucky and thankful that we have an understanding landlord who is also helping us through this difficult time.
What are some of your favorite items that you sell?
We sell thousands of items but my favorite one is the statute of a Chinese goddess. If you have her in your home, she prays for your safety and blesses the household.
What would you like Chinatown to be like after the pandemic?
I hope Chinatown will prosper again. I hope that after the election and after Covid has passed, the economy will be strong again so that we will have work and be able to feed our families. I have lots of friends in Chinatown and we all try to help each other through this difficult time, but it’s hard to make a living these days.
Chinatown establishments like Wah Yeung’s 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.
