Yueh Tung, a frenetic Chinatowns-mains family-run eatery in Kingston, Ontario. In Jeanette Liu’s son’s case, this summer, he is on the ground helping out and returning home-making memories for Jeanette— and Jeanette herself. For over 30 years, this family-owned institution has acted as the bedrock of the Liu clan. Home is a memory garden, painted with nostalgia and home-cooked deliciousness. As Jeanette Liu explores in her short film, as she strives to keep Yueh Tung afloat, there are huge challenges for its future.
Yueh Tung was previously operated by Jeanette’s parents. It’s more than a restaurant; it’s the eighth member of the Liu family. In honor of this long-standing tradition, however, little else but the barest details of her parents’ tenures are known. Jeanette and her sister Joanna pitched in to run the family business. They want to provide for their parents in retirement and adapt to a new reality in the restaurant business. Only two months ago, Yueh Tung was on the chopping block. This moment illustrates the precarious state of family-owned enterprises in our current economic climate.
The Burden of Rising Costs
Alan Liu, who came to Canada as a child in 1996 and has owned the original Salad King since 2010, is representative of many second-generation restaurant owners. He describes the current environment as particularly challenging, stating that “it’s really difficult. Rent has gone up, inventory has gone up, groceries have gone up and you can only increase your menu so much without having your customers get sticker shock.” These escalating costs have left many entrepreneurs in a perilous position. They are rushing to figure out how they can be – and remain – profitable while still serving their dedicated congregants.
Inflation, rising interest rates, and tariffs on imported goods have all introduced new obstacles. Jeanette Liu attributes the surge in food costs to these tariffs, which have risen “much faster than we’ve ever seen.” These financial pressures make business owners dramatically rethink their plans and re-calculate their chances of being in business in the long-term.
Alan Liu poses critical questions about the future: “Is this a temporary change? Is this long-term change? And how are we going to survive beyond that?” His concerns are echoed across the country by restaurateurs worried about a looming recession, shifting consumer spending habits and an increasingly competitive market.
Community and Legacy
Despite the hardships, both Jeanette Liu and Maria Cronk value community and collective action deeply in their work. For Maria Cronk, inheriting a downtown Kingston boutique from her mother has completely changed the game. Her mom stood up to immigrate to Canada from Sweden in the early 70s. She emphasizes that “it’s not about the money. It’s about building this community of people.” This sentiment strikes a chord deep in the immigrant experience as family businesses frequently become cultural touchstones in their new communities.
Aside from the burden of all visitors’ expectations, Jeanette Liu is acutely aware of her responsibility to her family’s legacy. She reflects on her parents’ dedication, recalling how her father worked tirelessly, taking only one day off during Christmas to prepare for the upcoming days. “Carrying on the legacy was really the crux of everything having to do with us taking over the restaurant,” she says.
She imagines the day when she can finally take her parents out to dinner at Yueh Tung. She just wants them to enjoy the fruits of their labor. “My hope is that when I bring my dad back in, when my mom comes back in to dine as guests, they will be able to really sit and feel everything that they put into this restaurant and receive it back,” she shares.
The Next Generation Takes Charge
Together with the enthusiasm and dedication of the next generation, there is hope for renewal and refreshment in the air despite the unknowns. Cronk’s daughters are now part of her boutique business, showcasing a trend where younger family members step in to continue their parents’ legacies. This generational change is key to continuing the one-of-a-kind, family-owned places.
Alan Liu, founder of MetroQuest, understands that staying alive means being able to adapt quickly to the changing conditions of the market. He notes, “Looking at a second-generation business, you kind of have to go, ‘OK, so this is what we’re good at. This is what we love doing and we’ve been doing this for 35 years. But the market is changing.’”
The sobering truth is that most second-generation owners report being in a perpetual state of fight or flight. Alan reflects on this feeling, saying, “It means you’ve been punched so many times in the head that you no longer feel anything. You’re basically perpetually stunned and perpetually in survival mode.”
