Prospective buyers look
to keep Jing Fong open
BY DEAN MOSES
A group of concerned citizens
say they are looking to keep
Jing Fong open in the latest
Chinatown restaurant drama, albeit
under new management.
The loss of Jing Fong restaurant has
infuriated Chinatown more than any
other brick and mortar causality of
the COVID-19 pandemic. With locals
likening the 800-seat eatery to the
heart of the community many feel that
if Jing Fong goes, then Chinatown as
they know it will follow. With the owners
unable to see a way forward in the
current financial climate to make up
the amount owed in rent, they forwent
the years left on their lease and were
forced to close their doors on March 7.
As of March 14, the 20 Elizbeth
Street location is being gutted and
reconstructed now that the property
has been returned to the landlord.
However, Jing Fong’s staff still continues
to work in the kitchen for takeout
and outside dining while they attempt
to find a new, smaller location from
which to reopen.
Now, even as furniture is being
wheeled out of the iconic doors a new
wrinkle in a last-ditch effort to keep
the near three-decade old establishment
in business is taking shape. On
Friday morning Don Lee, a community
leader, mobilized outside Jing Fong
with restaurant workers and community
members. Amidst a cluster of
undulating protest signs Lee laid out
his plans.
“We want to make sure an institution
such as Jing Fong will be available
to support the recovery of New York
City and Chinatown. We are talking
about saving jobs that support 175
families. We are also talking about
the economic recovery of New York
City,” Lee said.
Lee also described that a team of
individuals—David Ng from Chefs
Club, David Lee a capitalization and
financing specialist, Grace Young
author and historian, and others—are
eager to engage in a discussion with
the landlord in hopes of taking over
the existing lease that is already in
place. If this is successful, this team
states they will rehire every single
Don Lee and protesters outside the shuttered Jing Fong restaurant in Chinatown.
employee, yet nothing is set in stone.
Lee says he is requesting that the city
and state also get involved, although
even he admits this is not likely.
“Government is once again ignoring
us, when they say we are invisible—
we are invisible to government. The
Governor is obviously too busy with
his stuff and even the Mayor seems to
be missing from time to time, so we
are not going to be invisible anymore,”
Lee said before continuing, “We have
spent time in Korea making success
and money for corporate America and
we decided it is time to come back to
Chinatown and do something for our
people.”
Reaching out to the Mayor’s office
and Manhattan Borough President
Gale Brewer, this team is asking for
the elected officials to “fast track” permits
and licenses required to get the
transfer of power underway as soon
as possible. While they are likewise
requesting financial support from local
government. Citing news articles
from amNewYork Metro which state
that the Governor invested five million
to build two bike lanes, Lee says
he believes the Cuomo should do the
same for Jing Fong. Lees claims that if
the finances do come from government
Community members see this rally as a new hope in the fight to keep the
beloved business open.
then he will turn the business over to
the employees to run. Still, they affirm
they will raise the funds necessary to
keep the business open if that support
does not come.
If this process goes according to
plan, the location will be under new
management as the previous owners
have made it known that they will not
be involved in this venture in any way.
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
amNewYork Metro reached out to Jing
Fong’s current director of marketing
for comment.
“We do not have a comment on this
plan as we are not involved with it. The
dining room space has been returned to
the landlord and we are operating from
the second-floor kitchen for our patiodining,
take-out, and delivery until the
end of May,” the statement read.
4 March 18, 2021 Schneps Media