Business Spotlight: Wai Wah Market
Wai Wah Market owner and manager, Guan Mei, and his wife and business partner, Miao Huang
Wai Wah Market
17 Catherine St.
(212) 345-4348
Welcome to Chinatown is excited to spotlight Longevity Fund recipient Wai Wah Market, a small grocery store that provides fresh, local produce, dry goods, and unique Asian snacks to the Chinatown community. Guan Mei and his wife opened the original Wai Wah Market in 1999 after noticing that the Guangdong community in the Lower East Side didn’t have many options for their grocery needs. They moved to their current location in 2012.
Tell us about your business.
Wai Wah Market has been around for over 20 years. We provide fresh produce and dry goods at affordable prices. Our customers are elderly locals who prefer to shop at smaller, neighborhood markets rather than face the chaos at larger supermarket chains.
Tell us about yourself.
My family and I were born in China and grew up traveling between Guangdong and Hong Kong. When we immigrated to the Lower East Side in 1998, we saw that the local Guangdong community did not have many options for their everyday needs. My wife and I strategized to bring the same customer service and knowledge we obtained in China to service the community. We were excited to start a business and realize our “American Dream,” but it’s been hard work. With COVID, these days have been even harder.
What are some unique items sold in your store?
We source locally-grown produce to ensure freshness. Our fruits are hand-selected seasonally to ensure peak quality. We’ve recently started to import more Japanese and international snacks/pantry items. Some of our hottest items right now are the Salted Egg Chips from Singapore and Calbee Potato Chips from Japan. The hot new Calbee flavor this season is plum.
How have you been faring during COVID?
Our business shut down from March to May of 2020. Despite all the uncertainty, we had to reopen because we were still paying rent and couldn’t afford to close any longer. The reopening raised health concerns within our family due to our ages and high-risk profiles. The neighborhood is not the same as before. The elders don’t come as often, and the younger crowd is almost nonexistent. We’ve had to adjust our hours to lower costs for labor and utilities.
“To this day, it’s still very difficult for us.”
How has Welcome to Chinatown (WtC) and the Longevity Fund helped your business?
The grant allowed us to repay some overdue rent. We’re excited to have the WtC team assist with designing our store uniforms to improve our store and image.
Have you been impacted by the anti-Asian violence in Chinatown?
Yes, the elderly are afraid to be outside. We don’t feel safe operating at later hours, so we close the store by dusk.
What advice do you have for other small business owners trying to survive during COVID?
If you can, hold onto your business bit by bit because the community still needs you. Otherwise, there won’t be much culture left in the neighborhood. If all the mom-and-pop stores closed, customers won’t be able to have the same shopping/bonding experience at larger chains. But make sure that health is still your number one priority. Health is wealth, and mental health is also very important. Check in on your neighbors and family.
“If you need any recipes for Chinese home cooking or soup, my wife is always here and happy to help. ”
What has been your greatest accomplishment and biggest challenge?
My greatest accomplishment is forming strong bonds with the community. I know most of my customers and their needs. Some customers have been with us for more than 20 years — I even invited some of them to my son’s wedding.
One challenge is people used to find out about us through word of mouth, but COVID has limited that. The elderly don’t come out as much, and the younger generation doesn’t really shop at mom-and-pop shops.
What is a fun fact about Wai Wah Market?
If you need any recipes for Chinese home cooking or soup, my wife is always here and happy to help!
How can people support your business?
Shop here and tell us how we can improve and what new products you’d like to see. Also, tell your friends and family about us! We are a family-run business, and we treat all customers like family.
Chinatown small businesses like Wai Wah Market are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support to keep that spirit alive. Please consider donating to The Longevity Fund, our small business relief fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help keep Chinatown open for business.
Photo Credit: Fuxuan Xin
