Charles Phan Closing Wo Hing General Store

[Photo: Jennifer Yin]

Big news on the Valencia corridor today: only a year and a half after opening, Charles Phan has decided to shutter Wo Hing General Store, his Chinese-and-cocktails spot in the Mission, according to Inside Scoop. Despite a prime location with plenty of foot traffic, Wo Hing struggled, notching a tepid two-star review from Bauer, losing bright-spot bartender Brooke Arthur (with many speculating that the struggling restaurant couldn't afford her salary), and consistently getting drubbed by Yelpers. Longtime Phan fans may recall that this space was home to the original Slanted Door before it was displaced to the Ferry Building, and it must be tough for Phan to see a new spot belly-flop in the place where he made his name (especially since he named it for his father and uncle).

Phan is currently deciding whether to give up the space or do something new with it, a question that we imagine is particularly challenging given that Wo Hing's spiritual twin, Heaven's Dog (which also did Chinese fare and cocktails, albeit in a much less trafficked SOMA locale), remains closed after last year's flood. On the upside, all of Wo Hing's employees who want to stick around have been given spots elsewhere in the Phan empire, and Phan's new Hard Water on the Embarcadero is apparently doing booming business. Wo Hing's last day will be this Sunday; no word on where chef Michelle Mah is headed next.

· Charles Phan to close Wo Hing General Store [Inside Scoop]
· All Wo Hing General Store coverage [~ ESF ~]