Old Chinatown

Just want to give a quick shout out to fellow Houstonians so that everyone is aware of a grim and total fact.
The «Old» and «Original» Chinatown in downtown Houston is just weeks, if not days away from being gone forever.
If you ever want to see it, or what’s left, get some photos, eat or shop there, get your hair cut, whatever, you need
to go right now. As in not next week, right now!
When visiting Chinatown yesterday I was shocked, floored, whatever you want to call it, to see that blocks and blocks of buildings have been torn down and deconstruction is active at present. Long gone are the days when the Houston Chronicle and Houston Post reported about when the area was designated as «Historically Significant» and long gone are the days when Houston applied street signs in Chinese and Vietnamese.
All that is left today is a single mall, the Kim Hung Mall which houses the flagship grocery store called Kim Hung Inc., Southwestern National Bank, a pool hall called All Sport’s Café, a hair cutting place and the original and only award winning best sandwich shop (in the 1990’s Chronicle awards) Bahn mi Hoang SON Sandwich. (All mentioned except the pool hall and hair cutting place have been here for 15 years plus).
I spoke with the owner in person yesterday for over an hour and while he and his parents are grateful for the business in the last 30 years, they are looking forward to relocation in the new Chinatown in West Houston. As you will see by my photos the mall is up for sale and Mr. Khen Vu Ly stated that when it sells that is it.
The Mexican food restaurant Arcos that has been in the mall for 5 years now will close tomorrow.
The grocery store is open with fine fresh produce and items from Asia and the US, and the family owned and operated Bahn mi Hoang SON Sandwich was still open (after 20 years) yesterday with all of their newspaper awards from years past on display, along with their $ 2.50 sandwiches which are excellent. See my recent reviews for all of these places with photos.
Old Chinatown was a formative part of Houston downtown and should always be referred to in the future as a significant part of Houston, Texas and United States history. Which ended in 2009.
TAKE YOUR CAMERA!