Shops bid historic area goodbye
As red banners with Chinese writing hung from a turquoise-colored shelf at the Kong Sun Co., owner Carol Sezto reflected on her goal of selling her Chinatown gift shop business. So far, no serious buyer has emerged.
Outside Donnie Chin’s family shop next door, a handwritten sign is taped to the Sun May Co.’s red-painted entrance: “Thanks to all who came to this shop for nearly 100 years!”
As Uwajimaya, the Asian supermarket in the International District, celebrates its 80th anniversary this month, these other two International District stores, and likely another nearby, are following different paths — possible closure and a move to a new location.
Kong Sun and Sun May occupy street-level space in the largely vacant Hotel Milwaukee building at the intersection of South King Street and Seventh Avenue South.
Renovation and other factors are changing the business face of the district.
Its owner, James Koh, plans to convert the rooms into apartments and wants to add parking under the street.
Visitors and residents have long said the area lacks it.
Koh believes the street-level businesses in his building will be able to operate during the upcoming construction from the renovation.
“Nothing will be affected. It will be the usual,” he said. “If they want to move, that’s fine. It’s up to them.”
But with business dropping in recent years, Sezto has slashed her prices to clear her inventory from the store that has been around since the 1960s.
Inside the souvenir shop that has the feeling of one in Hong Kong, she sells Buddhist statues, black velvet martial arts shoes, red paper lanterns and feng shui mirrors.
