Friends, family, and supporters of Albert Leong gather outside of Bow On Tong. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge’s Chinese community says goodbye to historic Bow On Tong

Jul 14, 2021 | 1:40 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – After first being established nearly 100 years ago, the Bow On Tong store in downtown Lethbridge will be under new ownership.

Dozens of family members and friends gathered outside the hollowed remains of what was once a culturally significant business for the Chinese community Wednesday morning with signs saying “Albert deserves better,” “Albert’s story matters,” and “Last man in Chinatown.”

Albert Leong’s family first opened Bow On Tong a century ago in China, and when they moved to Canada, set up the store in Lethbridge in 1926. He was born in the business’ basement in 1941.

The last eight years have been difficult for Leong, who himself has operated the store for around 50 years.

He recalls being approached by the Downtown Lethbridge BRZ in 2013 and was told that, if the building were designated as a historic site, they would be able to renovate it.

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Leong estimates that somewhere between $100,000-$150,000 was raised in total.

“On this project, I had no input at all, it was all done talking with people. They came in one day and said we’re going to restore this place, you have to move out tomorrow. The very next morning, they came and shut off my electricity and gas and I started moving out.”

“At that time, I was told that I had to move out for three months while they did the restoration. After three months, they said in another three months, and then come April, then September. All of a sudden, it was five years and they came to me and said, oh, we’re out of money, we’re going to stop working on it. You have to sell the place. Now, it’s been eight years.”

According to Leong, the original intent of the project was much smaller than what was later drawn up. He thought they were just going to fix part of the back of the business but those involved came up with plans to do the entire interior.

“In the end, they spent all the money. That was donated to a draftsman and the guys that tore it down because, in the five years I’ve been out, they didn’t do a thing. All they did was tear it down. They didn’t fix one thing. The only thing that was put in was a bunch of two-by-fours to shore up the place in five years and all that $100,000-$150,000, whatever, is all gone.”

Along with that, Leong says many of his personal belongings that were in the building were lost.

“I had six floors of stuff and now I’ve got one floor of stuff. I don’t know what’s missing, but all they had to say is, that’s all old stuff, we just threw it away. What’s gone, it doesn’t matter, it’s just my personal stuff.”

Now, Leong is ready to put all of this behind him and embrace retirement, but there is an entire community in the Lethbridge area that is sad to see him moving on.

It used to be the case that prospective residents and business owners who were of Asian descent were only allowed to settle within a few block radius of where Bow On Tong is located on 2 Ave South. The rationale at the time was that white business owners did not want to compete with Asian businesses.

Leong says there used to be anywhere from 60-80 Chinese people living in that area at any given time, but once he leaves, there will be nobody left.

For those who were segregated from most other parts of the city, the Chinese community found a sense of home and belonging at Bow On Tong, something that helped them to get through many difficult periods.

Cherie Souther used to own a business next door and talked about how her three children would go over to Bow On Tong nearly every day. Leong would share stories with them and occasionally throw an extra piece of candy or a toy their way. This was common during his many years as a local business owner.

“Without him here, Chinatown is no more. Albert is Chinatown. He was the spirit for 100 years and more – I know you’re not that old, but you were always here, Albert. I just want to say thank you for everything you have done.”

Souther says the series of events that unfolded shows that there were good intentions by all sides, but it ended with a man being displaced from his home.

It was not stated at Wednesday’s press conference who would be taking over the now-former location of Bow On Tong.