Oral History – Lorraine Chang
Notes from Lorraine Chang (Mrs. Hon Chong Chang) 2718 Tantalus Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813 mailed to HEA researcher Carol bain in 2001 along with her husband's transcribed testimony about memories of the buildings and history of Hanapepe.
NOTES about this transcript from Researcher Carol Bain: Lorraine grew up in Hanapepe and lived there until the 1940’s, then left for Oahu with her husband Hon Chong Chang, who was a radiologist and is now retired there. With Chinese heritage, she recalls the Chinese family members and their inter-relations in this area, perhaps with more accuracy than Robert Ozaki, who was also a classmate but Japanese heritage. Her husband, Hon Chong Chang, who is 3 years older was away at school so much that his memories are not as clear as his wife, Lorraine’s. However, he does have strong memory of the bakery and that transcript is very good.
Transcript from notes 6/15/01 from Lorraine Chang:
“The building (now known as old pool hall, 3865 Hanapepe Road) was first used as a bakery. It was called Dong Pui Bakery; around 1927 it had a re-opening. It was successful as only bakery on the west side of Kauai (at the time). I shopped there. Later it became a grocery store.
The Change family who were tailors lived on the riverbank (back part of property). Their oldest daughter was married to K.C. Kai who ran a dry goods store where Style Mart is (next door on map). There were 3 other children, Benny, Florence and Agnes. K.C. Kai had two daughters, Myrtle who married a Mr. Aiu who worked in the Lihue County Office Building, Hazel who ran a Beauty Shop in back of KC Kai dry goods, and Kenneth, who must have inherited the property. Kwock was Mr. Kai’s real Chinese surname. All are now deceased.
This bakery was referred to by the local residents as Dong Pui Bakery and Restaurant. Owner’s name may have been pronounced Tong instead of Dang. Ah Chu Dang (or pronounded with a “T” Tong as Robert Ozaki recalls) might correctly be Joseph Chu (the only person with Chu as a surname as I can remember) who was born around 1914, was my classmate at Eleele school, was part Hawaiian, and in his later life, supervised the Salt Ponds for the Hawaiians.
After Dong Pui Restaurant closed down (why?), this store was taken over the by truck driver but Mrs. Dang and her daughter Ah Hoong ran a Chinese grocery store from around 1937 –1940’s?
I think the billiard parlor was established after the Dang Ah Yet family moved to Oahu (during or) after the war years…They bought and ran a small grocery in Waimea(Oahu?) with Ah Hoong in charge. --as a business flourished during the war years.
Mr. Dang was a truck driver but Mrs. Dang and her daughter Ah Hoong ran a Chinese grocery store from around 1937-1940’s?…as business. It flourished. They had 3 daughers Lo Sun, (Mrs. Tai Hing Leong); Ah Kam, (Mrs. Jimmy Wong); Ah Hoong (single) and 3 sons—Wah Git who had a portion of the store as a radio repair shop, Wah Fai who was an engineer at McBryde Sugar mill, and Wah Yun, who became a CPA and worked in San Francisco.
Hope this information can be used:
L.
Chang
_____
(note from researcher: Lorraine Chang left Hanapepe in the 1940’s and is not certain about the change-over from Chinese store to billiard parlor. Map shows by 1954 it was a billiard parlor, and Mrs. Aquino, pool hall owner knows she ran this pool hall during WW II-years on.
Also, from Chinese Historic Sites and Pioneer Families: 1979: “The 1938 Chinese Merchant Business Directory and the 1950 Handbook of Chinese in Hawaii plus other sources gave additional information of Hanapepe Chinese business firms--....Oriental Chop Suey under Joseph Chu.)
above is only independent printed corroboration printed about names of business. So, locally known as Dong Pui Bakery & Restaurant…formally known as Oriental Chop Suey.
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Therefore, we think the name of the Bakery at 3865 Hanapepe Road was first called Dong Pui Bakery & Restaurant and later called Oriental Chop Suey by 1979 document…both operated under Joseph Chu (aka – Ah Chu Dang). Our next task is to try to locate the Ah Chu Dang relatives…research never ends.
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