![]() “With our drastic decline in sales and mounting losses sustained over the course of a year, we needed to make the tough call to close our indoor dining space and redirect our resources in hopes to continue our operations,” the third-generation owner and manager Truman Lam said in a statement. Following a growing trend during the pandemic, the restaurant has plans to continue operating as a ghost kitchen to fulfill orders for takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining on its patio. “As for the future of jing Fong, we’re hoping for an opportunity to stay in Chinatown and continue to be a part of the community, perhaps at a smaller scale,” Lam saidĪmNewYork Metro reached out to the Mayor’s office for comment.Jing Fong, the largest Chinese restaurant in Manhattan, announced today that it would permanently close its dining room on March 7 due to business loss as a result of COVID-19. Right now the future of Jing Fong may look bleak, but the owner remains optimistic The pandemic and federal government inaction have only made this unfortunate reality worse.” Letters to elected officials don’t change what the restaurant’s owners have made clear themselves: this extremely large space is not sustainable for Jing Fong. “The Chus have frozen Jing Fong’s rent for 28 years and they have not collected a dime of rent for the last 12 months. In response to the letter a representative from Chu Enterprises provided amNewYork with the following statement. ![]() Also, instead of spending so much money and effort to build a new jail in Chinatown which the Chu family benefit from, he should put the resources to help Chinatown recovery,” Zishun Ning of the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side told amNewYork Metro. Here’s the chance for him to save Chinatown by saving this iconic restaurant from being displaced, lowering the rents and real estate tax for small businesses, and passing the Chinatown Working Group Rezoning Plan, a community-led effort to prevent the rampant real estate speculation that has been driving up rents and real estate tax in our neighborhood. ![]() “Mayor de Blasio should prove that he doesn’t just pay lip service to fighting anti-Asian violence, but to do something concrete to stop the racism and displacement that Chinatown has been facing. With the letter now in the hands of the Mayor, it is hoped by the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side that action will be taken. However, this is not enough for community advocates. We’re very grateful that so many people have supported us for so many years and consider the restaurant such an important part of their lives and the community,” restaurant owner Truman Lam told amNewYork Metro.Įven though the owners of Jing Fong are greatly saddened about the closure and the immense job loss that will come along with it, they hope to establish a smaller location in the future where they can still bring the spirit of dim sum culture to the area. This place has meant so much to our family and has been a pillar in the community. I’m sad and disappointed that we’re not going to be able to survive at 20 Elizabeth Street. “The pandemic hit our industry and Chinatown really hard. Unfortunately, it was recently announced that due to the financial burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jing Fong will be closing its doors on March 7 and will not be reopening them. According to the Marketing Manager for Jing Fong, Claudia Leo, “The name in Chinese letters translates to big restaurant,” and with the 20 Elizabeth Street location boasting two floors and about 160 employees, it has certainly lived up to the name. ![]() Jing Fong restaurant has been the heart of dim sum culture in the Lower Manhattan community for almost three decades. The heart of Chinatown may stop beating but its spirit will continue to live on.
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