Our mission is to provide resources and support for the local Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American community, and increase the visibility and representation of the Asian American diaspora in Evanston’s civic, cultural and community spaces through the arts.
Businesses & Occupations: Restaurants & Food Service
Evanston News-Index December 1, 1927
Above is an example of some want ads from Evanston in 1927. You will note that people were allowed to specify race in these ads. This illustrates an example of the kind of overt racism that reflects the limitations people faced in finding employment. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries only certain occupations were open to most people from Asian and Pacific Islander countries.
Some primary occupations included domestic work, food service and restaurant work, laundry workers, and health care.
For many people from China, the restaurant industry offered a means not only for employment but for establishing one's own business. Beginning in the late 19th century, many Americans became fans of Chinese Food.
In 1903, Dr. Yamei Kin (1864-1934) came to Evanston, one of several visits she would make. In the club rooms of the YMCA, Kin gave cooking lessons to Evanston women. The class was organized by the Woman’s Club of Evanston and billed as an indication that “the chop suey fad is about to descend upon Evanston and society.” Indeed, around this time, “chop suey” had become popular in the U.S. Read more about Kin here.​
.jpg)
Chicago Tribune, September 26, 1903
By the early 1910s, Evanston had its first Chinese restaurant: the Hong Fong Lo Cafe opened some time around 1913 at 614 Davis St.
Daily Northwestern, December 6, 1913
By the 1920s, a few Evanston restaurants advertised menus prepared by "Chinese chefs." These included the Elite Cafe at 611 Davis St. and John's Ideal Cafe.
Daily Northwestern, June 24, 1924
The son of immigrants from China, Harry W. Lum (1889-1941) was born in San Francisco. When he was about 20 years old, he ventured east to Chicago. During WWI, Lum served overseas in the American Expeditionary Force in WWI. He sailed for France as a private in the 88th Division in August 1918 and returned home in 1919. In about 1925, he moved to Evanston and was hired as manager of the newly-opened (1924) Phoenix Inn restaurant at 611 Davis Street. Lum would serve in that role until his death in 1941. Over the years, many of the restaurant’s staff and co-owners were members of the Lum family. In the restaurant’s first years, many of its staff were new immigrants from China. In 1967, Kee Lum announced that the Phoenix Inn would be moving across the street to 608 Davis Street. When the restaurant closed in 2016, it was believed to be Evanston's oldest (continually operating) restaurant.
Frank Y. Lung (1883-1950, born in California, served as manager of the restaurant. He lived in a boarding house at 2008 Sherman Ave.
