After 94 years, Wing’s restaurant sign taken down in San Jose

A correction to an earlier version of this article has been appended to the end of the article.

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The historic neon sign at the 94-year-old Wing’s Chinese Restaurant in San Jose came down this morning, six months after the city’s oldest full-service restaurant closed its doors.

“It was a little emotional,” said Ashley Yu, owner of Wing’s Chinese Restaurant, standing with her husband Scott McCreery as workers from Oakland’s Arrow Sign Company removed the sign via crane. “But I really appreciate everyone who’s shown us their support.”

The neon sign at Wing’s, which first opened its doors when Calvin Coolidge was president, has glowed red and green since the 1940s, and it remained illuminated for six months after the Japantown restaurant shuttered its doors this past February. Nonprofit and city officials, including Juliet Arroyo from City of San Jose Preservation and Tamiko Rast from the Japantown Association, helped facilitate the sign removal.

“I really appreciate everyone who contributed to this effort,” Yu said. “Without their connections this would not have happen so quickly.”

Wing’s, known for its private booths and bells that diners rang for service, quietly closed its doors six months ago due to overwhelming building renovation costs. Estimates for bringing the 1925 building up to code ranged from $140,000 for ADA work to $500,000 to $600,000 for a full remodeling, building owner Louis Wang told the Mercury News in February.

That was simply too much for owner Wu, who has decided to re-open as a catering business on Oct. 9. Yu says you can expect a modified version of the restaurant’s Mandarin and Szechwan menu, with the same generous portions. She has obtained access to a centralized kitchen on Commercial Street, and is in the process of getting her health permit.

“I’ve notified a lot of our customers about the opening and I’m excited to make a comeback,” she said.

As for the historic sign? It will be temporarily stored with Ken Middlebrook, the curator of collections at History San Jose, until a permanent location can be determined.

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