Last-Minute Deal Saves Wing’s, San Jose’s Oldest Restaurant

San Jose Chinese restaurant Wing’s has narrowly avoided a closure that was predicted earlier this month: They’ve successfully negotiated with their landlord to remain at 131 E. Jackson Street beneath their vibrant, “flapping” neon sign.

“We are pleased to announce that our [landlord] has given us the opportunity to continue serving our community, at our present location,” the business writes on its website, where previously a note declared they’d close at the end of June. Instead, Wing’s lease was extended for three years, proprietor Ashley Yu told the San Jose Mercury News, and perhaps longer.

The original problem for Wing’s was an “inability to generate sufficient business profits to sign a new lease with tremendously high rent per month.” But now Yu says Wing’s will continue on the same lease terms as before. The building’s owner is David Wang, who owned Wing’s itself for decades with his brother Louis Wang.

It’s not clear whether Wang relented on a proposed rent increase, or whether Yu found her prospects had improved. Regardless, Wings lives on. At the moment, though, the restaurant is closed for restocking: It will be back open on Thursday, June 29, and plans to stay that way.

• Wing’s Chinese restaurant operators say they’re staying at historic San Jose site [Mercury News]
• San Jose’s Oldest Restaurant Closes at the End of June [ESF]