Chinatown landmark Wing Noodles set to close as community pushes to save heritage

Wing Noodles’ closure has sparked competing visions for the future of a historic Chinatown block, including a proposed museum and a seniors’ housing project.

Since 1946, Wing Noodles, in Montreal’s Chinatown, has been making fortune cookies and other treats. The Lee family, which owns the company, is closing it at the end of the month.

Bryant Chang, a longtime employee, says: “People say, ’my father used to come here 50 years ago and he said, ‘we love that stuff.’ It brings back memories of the past for many of the people with it, especially the fortune cookies.”

Some community members want to buy the building and transform it into a museum to preserve its history.

However, there are obstacles to the plan. The listed price is about $5 million.

Bill Wong, the director of the Montreal Chinatown Development Council, said that in addition to the museum, the building could also include a mix of commercial and residential spaces.

Fo Niemi, with the Center for Research Action on Race Relations, said the Chinese heritage in the area must be protected.

“Coté Street is very, very special to the community, in part because not only are the heritage buildings here, but also the Chinese Catholic Community Center just down the street.”

In the middle of that block is the heritage building Davis & Sons, which the Old Brewery Mission wants to buy.

Wong, however, says he doesn’t want that to happen. “There’s news coming out that the ownership is going to do a project there for the homeless. That’s what we don’t want to see.”

The Old Brewery Mission’s president and CEO, James Hughes, noted that the housing would be for people aged 50 and up.

“I can understand the community being a bit nervous. But this is something that’s going to shape itself. It’s residential. It’s not direct services. It’s people like you and me living in our own place, closing the door, locking the door, having a cup of tea.”

Hughes added that it would also serve residents of Chinatown.

“Accessible to people who are living in the community at risk. Vulnerable fits the criteria and would benefit from living in an environment like that. So we really want to make this work.”

Despite those assurances, some community members are launching a petition against the shelter’s plan.

“I think that a lot of businesses here in Chinatown said that if they bring something here for the homeless, it’s going to be destroy Chinatown.”