Wing on Wo & Co

Wing on Wo & Co, the oldest shop in Chinatown, is not just a porcelain business but a vital part of the community. First opened by Walter Eng in 1890, it was originally a general store, an informal post office, a credit union, and sold a small selection of porcelain. It also served as a gathering place for the neighborhood. In 1964, his daughter, Nancy Seid, took over the store and decided to focus on Chinese porcelain. In 2016, Mei Lum, her granddaughter, had to choose between attending grad school and joining the family business. She couldn’t give up on her childhood home and became the fifth generation owner at the tender age of 26. Lum wanted to keep the community alive and founded the WOW Project. She has hosted events at the store, like film screenings and open mic nights, centered on the Asian American experience. She also created a ceramicist fair and an annual storefront artist-in-residency program. During the pandemic, the WOW Project worked on fundraising, while Wing on Wo had to move to online sales. Today, Wing on Wo continues to sell porcelain and cultural goods connected to Chinese culture and serves as a reminder of the cultural significance of Chinatown’s history.

26 Mott Street, New York, NY 10013