A Jewel in Chinatown

A faded jade green sign with mustard yellow letters Don Enterprises hangs above a store window in Chinatown, a remnant of a time passed.  Presently,  an emerald green awning hangs gallantly under the Don Enterprises sign, with the name Pearl of the Orient.  The store window of Pearl of the Orient is decorated with a collage of embroidered silk jackets for dogs, champagne holders, Buddha figurines, fishermen sculptures, ornaments, and lamps with a body of a vase.  Inside shelves are stacked high with lamps made of vases, trinkets, table decorations, and the walls are adorned with paintings, and wall tapestries.  Showcases display an explosion of intricately painted vases, nose inhalers, hand carved jewelry, charms, and key chains.

Pearl of the Orient’s roots in Chinatown go back a little over a decade, thirteen years to be exact.The store started with a dash of creativity, and a pinch of adventure.  It’s also one of the few remaining family owned businesses in Chinatown.  As Carol Tsao, the current owner of Pearl of the Orient explained, “My uncle was a business man from Hong Kong, and the mastermind behind converting vases into lamps.” Small business owners will attest that they’d love their business to thrive for generations, and Pearl of the Orient proves to be a successful story of a striving small business, “My uncle planned on retiring, and so I took over the store, in order to keep the business within the family, and to pass it from one generation to the next,” said Carol Tsao.

The rusted green sign with the name Don Enterprises still hangs above the store window of Pearl of the Orient, for a reason, “Originally, my uncle named the store Don Enterprises; after I took over the business I decided it was time to give the store a new name, sort of like marking the start of a new dynasty.  However, I chose to leave the old store sign up because it’s been up for over a decade, and people from around the neighborhood still remember Don Enterprises,” said Carol Tsao.

Pearl of the Orient is located in prime Chinatown realty; right in the heart of Mott Street. “The location of my store is excellent I get a lot of foot traffic from customers coming in to browse.  I’m very lucky because this building belongs to my sister in-law, and since we’re relatives the rent is fair.  If I were to rent anywhere else in Chinatown I would be out of business already,” exclaimed Carol.

The distinctiveness of Pearl of the Orient extends to the goods, and services offered to customers who happen to be local residents, Carol explained, “The most popular things I sell are the vases that have been converted into lamps.  Depending on the style, and quality of the lamps their prices range from $55.00 – $850.00….Since the lamps can be pretty costly, I’d never force a customer into buying a lamp. Rather I’d try to make sure that they really love the lamp before making the purchase.” Carol said, “I can only repair electric components of the lamps, and not the porcelain itself because once porcelain is ruined I can’t restore it to its immaculate beauty.”

Small businesses have been greatly affected by the current economic downturn, and Pearl of the Orient is no exception.  Carol Tsao said, “The current economic conditions have affected my business immensely, because my sales mainly come from the lamps.  Since people aren’t buying houses, there is no need for them to buy lamps to decorate their homes.”

Carol points out that there is added competition in Chinatown with the increase in novelty stores, “At first I only sold table lamps, but as more souvenir shops opened up around Chinatown, I expanded my inventory to jewelry, and other knick-knacks. I’d say 90% of my inventory comes from the International Trade shows, and I have friends in China who help me look for things to sell in my store.  I also have two girls who help make jewelry and key chains for sale,” said Carol.

With sadness in her voice, Carol predicts that Pearl of the Orient may cease to exist in the following years, “Right now, being in business is very difficult, because I’m not making any profits.  My children all have careers of their own; they’re not interested in running a business.  Within the next few years I may shut down this business. It’s sad but there isn’t anything I can do.”