Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Retail |
Founded | September 1971New York City, United States | in
Founder | Ming Yi Chen |
Headquarters | 452 Broadway, New York City , United States |
Key people | Joanne Kwong (President) |
Website |
pearlriver |
Pearl River Mart is an Asian-American retail brand and family-run business in New York City. [1] [2] The business was founded in 1971 in Chinatown, Manhattan, as Chinese Native Products by Ming Yi Chen and a group of student activists from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Chen has said that he and his colleagues "wanted to create a small window into the Chinese culture". [3] Its products include braided straw slippers, paper lanterns, cheongsams, cotton Mary Janes, and copies of Mao's Little Red Book. [4] [5] [6] Pearl River Mart has become a New York City institution. [5] The business has an art gallery in its main location, and hosts in-store events and performances. [7] [8]
Pearl River Mart was founded in 1971 by Ming Yi Chen and a group of activists from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. [9] Diplomatic relations between the United States and China were frozen at the time, and trade was banned due to the Cold War. [10] The founders hoped that the store would improve cultural understanding of China. When trade relations were restored, Pearl River Mart was an early recipient of Chinese goods. [9] The store has occupied various locations since its founding, [4] [6] [11] [12] including a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) location at Broadway and Broome Street in SoHo, Manhattan, described as a "department store". [13]
In March 2016, Pearl River Mart closed due to increasing rent. [5] It re-opened in November 2016 under the leadership of Joanne Kwong, the Chens' daughter-in-law, who graduated from Columbia University and worked as an attorney, a professor at Fordham University School of Law, and VP of communications at Barnard College. [10] [14] [15] [16] In November 2017, the store expanded with a second location in Chelsea Market; [12] a third location opened at the Museum of Chinese in America in January 2019. [17]
In October 2020, the business expanded "within Chelsea Market ... with the addition of Pearl Mart Foods". [18] In addition to a grocery, the location houses three vendors: Mao's Bao, Kimbap Lab, and Tea and Milk. [18]
On April 4, 2021, their main location at 395 Broadway closed "after a dispute with the landlord". [19] [20] On May 1, 2021, their main location reopened at 452 Broadway. [21]
Pearl River Mart has been involved with local community efforts, including a fund drive to procure and donate KN95 masks and other PPE to frontline workers during a time PPE was difficult to obtain, and a lantern installation throughout Manhattan Chinatown with the purpose of increasing foot traffic, improving business, and making residents feel safe. [22] [19] [23]
Pearl River Mart has collaborated with several Asian-American designers and entrepreneurs. In June 2022, the business expanded their fashion line with a capsule that put "a fresh and modern take on traditional Chinese garments". [24] It also has an art gallery, which showcases the work of Asian and Asian-American artists; [2] featured artists have included Arlan Huang, Corky Lee, Chinatown Art Brigade, and Yumi Sakugawa. [25] [26] [27] [28] Artists Space and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center have been guest curators. [28] [29] Recent art exhibitions have included companion exhibitions in Chelsea Market. [30] [31]
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Retail |
Founded | September 1971New York City, United States | in
Founder | Ming Yi Chen |
Headquarters | 452 Broadway, New York City , United States |
Key people | Joanne Kwong (President) |
Website |
pearlriver |
Pearl River Mart is an Asian-American retail brand and family-run business in New York City. [1] [2] The business was founded in 1971 in Chinatown, Manhattan, as Chinese Native Products by Ming Yi Chen and a group of student activists from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Chen has said that he and his colleagues "wanted to create a small window into the Chinese culture". [3] Its products include braided straw slippers, paper lanterns, cheongsams, cotton Mary Janes, and copies of Mao's Little Red Book. [4] [5] [6] Pearl River Mart has become a New York City institution. [5] The business has an art gallery in its main location, and hosts in-store events and performances. [7] [8]
Pearl River Mart was founded in 1971 by Ming Yi Chen and a group of activists from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. [9] Diplomatic relations between the United States and China were frozen at the time, and trade was banned due to the Cold War. [10] The founders hoped that the store would improve cultural understanding of China. When trade relations were restored, Pearl River Mart was an early recipient of Chinese goods. [9] The store has occupied various locations since its founding, [4] [6] [11] [12] including a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) location at Broadway and Broome Street in SoHo, Manhattan, described as a "department store". [13]
In March 2016, Pearl River Mart closed due to increasing rent. [5] It re-opened in November 2016 under the leadership of Joanne Kwong, the Chens' daughter-in-law, who graduated from Columbia University and worked as an attorney, a professor at Fordham University School of Law, and VP of communications at Barnard College. [10] [14] [15] [16] In November 2017, the store expanded with a second location in Chelsea Market; [12] a third location opened at the Museum of Chinese in America in January 2019. [17]
In October 2020, the business expanded "within Chelsea Market ... with the addition of Pearl Mart Foods". [18] In addition to a grocery, the location houses three vendors: Mao's Bao, Kimbap Lab, and Tea and Milk. [18]
On April 4, 2021, their main location at 395 Broadway closed "after a dispute with the landlord". [19] [20] On May 1, 2021, their main location reopened at 452 Broadway. [21]
Pearl River Mart has been involved with local community efforts, including a fund drive to procure and donate KN95 masks and other PPE to frontline workers during a time PPE was difficult to obtain, and a lantern installation throughout Manhattan Chinatown with the purpose of increasing foot traffic, improving business, and making residents feel safe. [22] [19] [23]
Pearl River Mart has collaborated with several Asian-American designers and entrepreneurs. In June 2022, the business expanded their fashion line with a capsule that put "a fresh and modern take on traditional Chinese garments". [24] It also has an art gallery, which showcases the work of Asian and Asian-American artists; [2] featured artists have included Arlan Huang, Corky Lee, Chinatown Art Brigade, and Yumi Sakugawa. [25] [26] [27] [28] Artists Space and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center have been guest curators. [28] [29] Recent art exhibitions have included companion exhibitions in Chelsea Market. [30] [31]