After Chasing American Dream For 42 Years,
Beloved Chinese Bakery Will Close

On Monday, the NY Times reported about Chinatown mainstay May May Bakery's end-of-the-month closing. To those who flocked to the Pell Street bakery for the prepared dumplings, shu mai, zongzi ("Chinese tamales"), roast pork buns, and many other items (much, if not all, made at its Long Island City warehouse), it's an upsetting prospect.

The bakery is run by three brothers whose father opened the store in 1965. The Times explained the closing, which oddly enough is not due to rent issues or lack of customers:

The Hung brothers are closing the company because they are tired, and their five children — who include a lawyer, a pharmacist and a teacher — are unwilling to put in the 11-hour days in steaming kitchens and on the factory floor.

“Our second generation is fully educated, so they don’t want to work as hard as their uncles and their father,” said John Hung, 55, the youngest of the brothers. “This is one thing we most regret. We don’t have the young generation to take over.”

After five years of deliberating whether to sell the business, the brothers — John, Alex and Bill — decided they could not find a buyer who could continue to assure the same quality. “I can sell at a good price, but if they ruin the name, that’s something we don’t want,” John Hung said.

It's a sad but understandable phenomenon. We just wonder if the ambitions of second generation children of all cultures - and the first generation's hopes for them - could spell the end of other types of businesses as well. We just wish that the factory would stay open - when we went to May May to stock up on our favorite, Shanghai vegetable buns, we were sad to see that many products were simply not being made anymore.

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By Jen Chung in News on September 5, 2007 4:43 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

I never knew this turned into a hipster food joint. To be honest I haven't been in the place in 15 years, guess it's changed since then.

It was always a place where people who moved from the area come every weekend to stock up on stuff they had growing up.

We still need new dim sum places to replace a few that's been closed.

guest

And they'll know even less about good Chinese food as these restaurants keep closing.

Dude69

I will miss May May dearly, but making those hipsters cry is a mitigating factor. They don't know crap about good Chinese food.

Nick S

"chasing" the american dream?? i'd say owning a small shop for 42 years and having your kids become lawyers, doctors and teachers is the dictionary definition of "the american dream"

good for them!

guest

Where are all the chinkies...or rather, fellow chinkies? : )

guest

No, we do not need any more indentured servants from the Mainland working for scraps in these dim sum parlors...

guest

You forgot to mention banks. though I could live with less of them for a new dim sum place.

guest

Anyone here go to "Fong In" in the heart of Mott St for the hot and cold soy custard? I believe they've been in business for just as long and still charge only 75 cents! And does anyone remember the place "Yun Yun" which used to sell soft coconut and mango ice cream cones? The little restaurant is still intact as I remember it from 30 years ago, however I don't think they sell desserts anymore...

guest

Anyways, isn't there like a bakery on every other block in Chinatown - not to mention all the pharmacies...?

guest

Pretty sad to see them go and I'm not surprised. A lot of "old name/brand" Chinese stores are closing because there is no one willing to take over.

Quit whining about sentence structure. I bet first generation immigrants children and Asians educated in Asia speak and write better in English than most people born in America. They sure are smarter.

guest

There are still a couple of places that sell joong. Look out for the old ladies with their push carts selling joong scattered all over the streets of Chinatown. One bakery I frequent that sells joong is Ho Wun located on the corner of Elizabeth and Hester. The joong here isn't too bad and the amount of grease is manageable. I miss my grandmother's joong.

guest

Where will I buy my zongzi now?

guest

we couldn't afford the food at may may, their stuff was always a little bit more expensive.

Jen and family could afford it since they're from the suburbs but I still luv ya jen.

and don't get me started on Jan Lee.

zodak

they should be glad that their kids are doing better than they are. isn't that the point? now some new immigrants will get a chance to provide for their children & hopefully the hung brothers will be taken care of by their kids. life goes on.