Kam Wai Dim Sum has been a long-standing Chinatown establishment for decades. In recent years it was taken over by William and Susan Liu, siblings whose parents have run the business for over 30 years. The siblings knew they had to plan for the future and longevity of the business as they watched Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood changing around them. Their heritage business needed a renovation and revitalization, and for that they enlisted the help of local organizations and businesses eager to keep the Chinatown community thriving.
The Kam Wai siblings brought together a team that comprised of Dunefield Consulting, the Strathcona Business Improvement Association, and also community advocates to put the business planning pieces in place. Next up, the creative and strategic team at Haeccity Studio Architecture was brought on to design and plan for the Kam Wai shop renovation. We’ve had the pleasure of working with them on past projects such as Paragon Tea Room and Lee’s Donuts. Pacific Solutions Contracting was hired as the General Contractor. Our business has roots in Chinatown. Our first workshop was located on Prior Street and we called this neighbourhood home for many years. Being a part of this heritage business renovation was a meaningful experience to our team, our founders, and our business.
This heritage business renovation project was more than just an aesthetic upgrade. Kam Wai has always done some hot food service, but the majority of their business traditionally has come from wholesale. The renovation plans included creating more of a deli-style counter to serve up hot, freshly steamed, and tasty dim sum for the neighbourhood. We built out more retail shelving and millwork, and helped upgrade the kitchen area too. Functionality was important – the space was designed with customer flow in mind with the option of maybe even having seating space available for the future.
The bright new neon signage helps light the way to the fresh new Kam Wai Dim Sum shop on Pender Street in Chinatown. We are honoured to have been a part of this story, and are excited to see new initiatives throughout Vancouver that support the preservation of our heritage businesses so they can continue to be a part of our communities for years to come.