Longest continually run Chinese business in North America gets a new owner, preserving bragging rights

Pillar of Victoria’s Chinatown saved Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada and one restaurant has been a fixture for more than a century.

In the oldest Chinatown in the entire country sits Loy Sing, a business that holds the title of longest continually run Chinese business in North America. It has now been in operation for 136 years and counting.

Recently, Charlayne Thornton-Joe with the Victoria Chinatown Museum has been getting nervous. The reason being the long streak could come to an end.

"The owners that have been here for decades are wanting to retire,” said Thornton-Joe.

That owner is Daniel Zheng and his family, who now want to call it a career after owning the business for the past 29 years.

Last year Zheng put the business up for sale. If it were to get purchased and the business model and name changed, that would mean the end of its title.

With bragging rights on the line, it turns out a saviour was working only two doors away at Kwong Tung Seafood Restaurant as a delivery driver and receiver. Zhen Zeng and his wife Qiu Heu are now the proud owners of Loy Sing, and the pair plans to run the historic restaurant the same way it’s been run for the past 136 years.

With a menu that has changed very little in all those years, the pair knows there is going to be a steep learning curve.

"I have to learn everything,” said Zeng. "I also need to learn how to cut up a whole pig."

Both have past restaurant experience, although fortunately Zheng has agreed to stick around for the next month to teach the new owners some old tricks.

Zheng says the business has been good to him and his family. It has provided a comfortable life and put his three children through school. Now it’s time to do something that he has been waiting 29 years to find time for.

"Travel, just a little bit,” said Zheng.

The new owners say they will stick with tradition and don’t plan to make any major changes as it has a proven track record.

"It's very popular; people love it here,” said Zeng.

Although one little tweak could be coming. For the past 136 years, it has been a cash-only establishment.

"Maybe later I'm going to add a debit machine,” said Zeng.

Zeng and Qiu, both in their early 40s, plan to run the business until retirement, keeping Victoria Chinatown’s bragging rights preserved.