Cheung Chau Store

Miss the old cheung chau. If you’re old enough you know that they were trying to be chang by not putting those stamps on their cigs. Still, I loved the atmosphere. Now under new management, they have turned this chinese convenience store to more of a grocery/​market… I miss the days when I used to buy snacks on my way to chinese school/​kung fu and the chinese newspaper for the grandparents. Now its run by mandarin speaking management. I miss the cantonese owners. I miss that its not a conveniences store anymore :*(

Wow. Buckets of fresh ice covered shrimp selling out front. This store which used to be called Cheung Chau Trading Co. has renovated up the ying yang! Instead of the old, dusty shelves in a darkened creep hole it used to be, they’ve opened up to make the once small entryway into a wall wide, bright, clean entrance.
Installed are new freezer cases with uku planny Chinese products. Heavy also on the Vietnamese, Thai but not so much other asian nations. Fresh produce sells for bargain prices but beware, the canned goods are almost twice that of central Chinatown district. Some of their fresh produce isn’t that great a bargain but if you know your prices, you can eek out a big bag of veggies and fruit to last the week. The produce is fairly fresh and still priced way cheaper than Foodland, Safeway or Times.
Strangely, I spotted some melons for sale at $ 1.30 each and when I turned around after getting a hand basket, well, the price had suddenly changed within seconds, to $ 1.80. Hmmmm. Chinese magic…
Fu-​juk, dace, etc. easily twice the amount so you really have to look carefully at prices. But I forsake a few dollars savings for the fact that parking is ample and free and steps from the store, unlike the muni parking lots downtown where I find myself struggling to haul back packages or sweating while trying to maneuver my old lady shopping cart. (Frankly I don’t know how they do it!)
Best price of the weekend, 39c per lb. for cabbage and the same few cents for a lb. of apple bananas. That is a miracle in and of itself! Couldn’t believe it.
Going back for fish balls this weekend. Frozen, smoothly shaped balls of fish cake that you can drop into seaweed soup or microwave for a snack. About 6 fitty a bag. Also going back for some more overpriced dace in black bean. It should cost about 2 dolla but I actually paid 3 per can. Not that easy to find anymore in Chinatown so I get it when I can.
One drawback. It is across the street from Kuakini Plaza and many, many retirees shop there. Elbows flying, hidden kung fu chops must be endured. And well, to be very frank, they don’t give a flying crap about waiting their turn in line. At least they toothlessly smile condescendingly as they push you out of the way. Elder love. Not a problem. I sense that perhaps I have more time than they do…