Day 325: Phoenix Bakery, Los Angeles, California

📌APIA Every Day (325) - The Phoenix Bakery, located in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, was founded by Fung Chow “F.C.” Chan and his wife, Wai Hing Chan in 1934. As recent immigrants from China, the Chans opened the business to sell traditional Chinese pastries using old family recipes. After nearly a century, the bakery still endures today, standing as a testament to early Chinese American entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. 

When F.C. and Wai Hing Chan first established their enterprise in Chinatown in the early 1930s, it was one of the first bakeries in the region to sell both Chinese and Western-style desserts. Their famous almond cookies and mooncakes helped make the bakery an immediate success. In 1941, needing more space to keep up with demand, the Chans moved the business to the New Chinatown district’s Central Plaza. Following this development, F.C.’s younger brother, Lun F. Chan joined the establishment as head baker after studying baking in Hong Kong. Lun went on to develop many of the business’s signature baked goods, including their trademark strawberry whipped cream cake. 

In the same decade, the Chans commissioned local Chinese American Artist, Tyrus Wong, to design the bakery’s logo and branding. The resulting mascot, named Sing Song, has accompanied the business ever since, displayed on an iconic sign. As the bakery gained increasing popularity, the Chan family hired architect Gilbert Leong to design a new building for the enterprise in the 1970s. Leong, the first Chinese American to graduate from the USC School of Architecture, incorporated traditional Chinese motifs into the building’s design. In 1977, the bakery moved to its current location, where it remains today.

For over 85 years, the Phoenix Bakery has continued to sell its famous pastries across Southern California. The business is now operated by the children and grandchildren of the Chans, maintaining its legacy as the oldest family-owned Chinese Bakery in L.A. According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, the building is eligible for designation as a Local Historic Monument and is a recognized L.A. Legacy Business. 

Written by Avneet Dhaliwal

LEARN MORE:

LA Conservancy: Phoenix Bakery

The Huntington: The Sweet Success of Phoenix Bakery

History — Phoenix Bakery   

NBC Los Angeles: The oldest family-owned Chinese bakery in LA: A legacy of tradition and sweet treats

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