China Overseas Chinese Network, August 31. According to the US "World Journal", the 61-year-old Chinese traditional hand-washing laundry "Sun's Laundry" located in Lower Manhattan, New York City is due to the old age of the owner and the new crown pneumonia. Due to the impact of the epidemic, the store was officially closed and lights out on August 29, local time. The 84-year-old shopkeeper Robert S Lee’s children and relatives and friends came to spend the last day in the shop together. Many regular customers for more than 20 years also came to say goodbye, saying “every time they receive a service for so many years. Clean clothes neatly wrapped in kraft paper are like Christmas presents. Li Hongsen’s laundry is unique, and there will be no second one."
This laundry shop at the eastern end of 14th Street in Manhattan was opened by Li Hongsen and his father Dow Sun Lee in 1959. At that time, they moved from Boston to New York and bought it from a friend for $4,300. After 61 years, Li Hongsen devoted himself entirely to work in the laundry, and never had time to return to his hometown in Taishan.
From immigrating to the United States in the 19th century, to the middle of the 20th century, opening a laundry was one of the most important means of subsistence for the early Chinese. In the 1930s, there were more than 3,500 laundry shops in New York City, spread across large and small neighborhoods. Early competition is also fierce.
Li Hongsen recalled that they faced a lot of competition in the first ten years of opening the store. There were nearly ten laundry shops on 14th Street in Manhattan alone. However, in the 1970s, with the closing of many stores, the business of "Sun's Laundry" began to thrive. It received 300 to 400 pieces of laundry every week. Although the fee was low, it could earn $350 a week.
However, good business also means a huge workload. As a traditional laundry, Li Hongsen sends the dirty clothes received to the Chinese laundry workshops in Long Island and Brooklyn every day. After the washed clothes are sent back, he and his wife have to do it. A lot of ironing, folding and packing work, and some of the clothes are washed by hand directly in the store. For many years, they have been working 7 days a week, 15 hours a day. Because of the workload, relatives at home often come to help.
However, with the rise of laundromats nearly ten years ago, many companies allowed employees to replace traditional suits with business casual clothes. People no longer need to iron every piece of clothing. Everyone's demand for traditional laundries has also declined because of the Unable to install an automatic washing machine, Li Hongsen did not join the automatic laundry business.
For Li Hongsen, taking the subway from Queens to work every day has become a life habit. Although his family wanted him to retire ten years ago, he still sticks to his job. For many people who live in this street and weekly For those who visit its laundry, getting ironed, folded, and wrapped in kraft paper every week has become an essential part of their lives. Li Hongsen, who is familiar with many customers, often assumes the role of a janitor and helps customers receive packages. Every word of "thank you" from people makes him smile.
Ken Luymes, who has been patronizing the laundry shop since 1996, made a special trip to say goodbye to Li Hongsen on the 29th. Although many automatic laundry rooms have been opened on the street in recent years, he still sends clothes to Li Hongsen’s shop every week. “Traditional laundry The quality of laundry provided by the store is the best. Every time I get the neatly ironed clothes, I am very happy and even moved. This is unique and no other store can replace Mr. Li's."
However, this year’s epidemic broke Li Hongsen’s insistence not to retire and continue to work. Because of his high age and high risk of contracting diseases, and the number of people sending laundry has decreased, the laundry shop had to be temporarily closed on March 21. It reopened in early August. During the few months at home, Li Hongsen was restless every day. Sometimes he received calls from customers to provide laundry services. However, due to the persuasion of his family and the influence of the epidemic, he finally had to make a decision to retire.
Li Hongsen thanked the customers for their love for decades, and also thanked the new landlord for making the decision to maintain the 800 yuan rent of the laundry many years ago, which helped the store continue to make a living. After retirement, he hopes to return to his hometown in Taishan soon. Take a look. (Jin Chunxiang)