Theonlinestorehasbeena radicalchange,consideringtheshoponly
installedanEftposmachineat theendof2019.Vestigesofitsold-school
operationsremain.Wholesaleordersarestilltakenwithpenandpaper,
andthepointofsalesystemonlyhastwobuttons:oneforGSTitems,
theotherfornon-GSTitems.
It’sbeena massivecareerpivotforFuaswell.The29-year-oldhad
workedinthecorporatesectorforeightyears,andwasjusttwoweeks
intoa newfinancejobbeforecallingit quitsinApriltoconcentrateon
thefamilybusinessfull-time.Hisparentswarnedhimagainstit,citingthe
longhours,stressandhardshipthatcomewithrunninga smallbusiness.
“Theysaid,‘ifyoucouldhaveaneasyjobinfrontofa computer,why
wouldyouswapit forthis?’...I’mdefinitelynotastoughastheyare.I’ve
beeninit fortwomonths,andI cantellyouit’sa lotmoretiring,”saysFu.
InEastAsiancultures,filialpietyis a cornerstoneoffamilyrelationships.
Initsmodernincarnation,it manifestsintheformofchildrendemonstrating
theirunconditionalloveandrespectforparentsthroughsupportandsacrifice.
“Ourparentsarea differentbreed.Theyworka lotharderthanwedo.
That’sthereasonI didthis– I wantthemtoretiremorecomfortably,”says
Fu.Hesayswithouthis,Ng’sandhissiblings’intervention,hisparentswould
haveprobablyworkedthemselvesintooldageandsimplyclosedtheshop.
Now,there’sanopportunitytoseethebusinessthrivewellintothefuture.
Fusayshisparentsfeela mixofprideandguiltabouthimjoiningthe
business.Regularcustomersoftenremarkhowlovelyit is thatFuis
“helping”at theshop,beforeIrenecorrectsthemtosayhe’swiththe
businesspermanently.“Atthesametime,theyfeltbadI wasgiving
upmycareer.I couldhaveearnedmorecash[inthecorporatesector],
andtheykeepsayingtheycan’tpaymeasmuch,”says Fu. “And I say,
‘I knowMum.Butthat’snotwhyI’mdoingit.’”
SowhatnowforChinatown?Aslockdown
restrictionslifted,therewasa glimmerofhope
the precinct would right itself. In May, when
upto 10 dinerswereallowedinSydneyrestaurants,
GoldenCenturyreopenedthreedaysa week.InJuly,it
extendedtradingtofivedaysa week,andis stayingopen
untilmidnightonFridaysandSaturdays.It’sa longway
offitsregular16-hours-a-dayoperation,butit’sa start.
ButwhenBanchoreopenedon 15 July,Melbourne
wasa weekintoLockdown2.0,andtheongoing
clustersofcasesinSydneyhadonceagainputdiners
onedge.Comparedtothistimelastyear,businessat
Banchois down 50 percent.
The“forlease”signsthatdotDixonStreet’sfamed
foodcourtsaresignsofa communityinstrife.The
establishedinstitutionswithdeeppocketswillseethe
othersideofthecrisis,aswillthoseagileenoughto
recalibrate their businessesinnew,creativeways.
Some,concedesChan,simply
won’tmakeit.“We’repositive
buttherewillbebusinesses
thatwon’tsurvive,”hesays.
“I liketothinkChinatown
willbeback,butit won’tbe
untilwehavea vaccine.”
Noonecanpredictwhat
willhappentoChinatown
betweennowandthen.But
if there’sonereason,howeversmall,tohope,it’sthis:
Superbowlhasbeenboughtbynewowners.It’sbeen
renovated,andit lookslikemostoftheeatery’s
best-lovedmenuitemswillremain.Onceagain,that
distinctiveneonsignburnsbrightandSuperbowl’s
doors creak open on quiet Dixon Street.●“We’repositivebutthere will
bebusinessesthatwon’tsurvive.
I liketothinkChinatownwill be
back,butitwon’tbeuntil we
havea vaccine.”GOURMET TRAVELLER 63