Wo Chong Company

10158, 10160, 10162 - 97 Street, Edmonton

Next to the brick clad New Edmonton Hotel was a three-storey wood frame building occupying three municipal addresses. The upper two levels were built for residential occupancy with the ground level for two commercial spaces. The second and third floor exterior was clad with painted wood channel siding with the main & upper levels divided by a decorative wood cornice. The east face had a bank of three windows overlooking the street while the main floor had large windows for merchant displays. Entry to the commercial spaces was through a pair of inset doorways.

The upper levels of the 10158 address housed several
rooming establishments, while the 10160 address housed businesses throughout its history such as Wong Chas Billiards and several Chop Suey shops. An early tenant on the ground floor of 10160 address was the Northern Alberta Machinery Company from 1908 to 1909, followed by the Winnipeg Dry Cleaners in 1912. In 1915, Wo Chong Company grocers took over the premise before leaving only a few years later.

The 10162 address also housed a number of different businesses throughout its life. Beginning in 1917, the address is noted in directories as Noodle Parlor, followed by Wong Tong Chong, Restaurant, Hop Yick Lung Company grocers (1922-24), Yuey M Company Tailor (1928-29) and Dana Bakery (1930-31; non-Chinese business). After that, several Chinese-owned restaurants occupied the building over the years: Park Café (1932-34), Fairmont Café (1935-37), Liberty Café (1938-1946), and Pacific Café in 1947.

Era: The War Years
Themes: Trade & Industry
Cultural Groups: Chinese
Area: Central

97th Street looking south, this address in white wood-framed building at centre, 1932. (Cropped to show detail). Glenbow Museum Archives, ND-3-5972b.

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