May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Throughout the month, Broadway Stages will feature and celebrate exceptional people, businesses, and organizations of Asian and Pacific Island heritage. We invite you to join us in recognizing their accomplishments and contributions! As a family business, Broadway Stages is proud to feature and applaud this 5th generation staple of Chinatown, Wing on Wo &Co.

Wing on Wo & Co. (W.O.W.) is the oldest continuously operating store in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Walter Eng founded the store in the 1890s as a general store. In fact, Wing On Wo is the oldest operating store in New York’s Chinatown.

In 1925, the business moved to its current location and expanded the scope of the shop. They hired an herbalist to fill prescriptions on-site and even installed a roasting pig pit to serve up weekend specials of roast meats. But in 1964, the shop began to specialize in porcelain.

Fifth generation (and current) owner, Mei Lum, said, “After my grandmother, my Po 婆, took over the shop in 1964, she decided to scrap selling groceries and perishables and focus solely on porcelain as her main line of product.” Mei Lum said her grandmother, third-generation owner Nancy Seid, and her grandfather flew to Hong Kong every spring to shop for new product lines.

Today, Wing on Wo & Co. works hard to maintain the traditional art form while exploring the craft through an Asian American lens. “Our goal with sourcing has always been to maintain the style and quality legacy of porcelain,” said Mei Lum. But, she added, “At the same time, we are also producing our own custom wares, working with small factories and workshops to make vases, bowls, and fu dog figures that mix traditional motifs with contemporary colors.”

Mei has taken over the store at a time when Chinatown is being encroached upon by gentrification. Businesses and families, along with recent immigrants, are being edged out of Chinatown as rents rise. Fueled by the ‘Can-do’ spirit of her ancestors, Mei Lum has spearheaded The W.O.W. Project.

The Project seeks to engage the community and push back against the threat of gentrification in Chinatown. Founded in 2016, the W.O.W. Project envisions the future of Chinatown, which centers on young women and nonbinary youth.

The Project’s staple programs include an annual storefront artist residency that invites a local artist to create a window display for their storefront at 26 Mott Street. The Project also runs Resist Recycle Regenerate, a youth program that seeks to intersect art and activism through building women-centric leadership within the Chinatown community.

Additionally, the Project offers youth internships and hosts public events, workshops, and panels that center Chinatown community voices and artists. For more information on the W.O.W Project, follow them on Instagram. As the founder and director of the W.O.W. Project, Mei Lum said, “The W.O.W. Project team continually shows me that as long as we’re moving at the speed of love, trust, and community building, we will build a future where we are all free.”  We couldn’t agree more!

Mei Lum and the incredible team at Wing on Wo & Co. find ways to honor their roots while also leading the way into a dynamic future. Since they are constantly moving and improving, the best way to stay aware of all they do is to follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Broadway Stages can identify with the sensibilities of Wing on Wo and Co. We are both family businesses with creative and social justice passions. We encourage you to take some time to visit Chinatown and celebrate the rich and beautiful Asian culture. And while you are there, shop for some porcelain at Wing on Wo & Co. Oh, and don’t forget to tell them that Broadway Stages sent you.