By Nina Huang
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
A dim sum staple and iconic community gathering space for more than three decades, China Harbor officially reopened as Seattle Harbor on Sunday, Dec. 22.
Continuing the legacy of China Harbor as Seattle Harbor
Founded in 1994, China Harbor has long been an important space for Asians in Seattle.
Owner Vincent Zhao took the helm in late September and renamed it Seattle Harbor.
He also owns Joyale Seafood Restaurant in the Chinatown-International District.
Approximately 250 people including Hsiao-lin and Lo-yu Sun, China Harbor founders and property owners, as well as notable community members Sam Cho, James Bush, Sun Burford, and Jared Nieuwenhuis, attended the grand reopening event. It was kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony, a festive lion dance, energetic traditional martial arts performances by the Seattle Shaolin Kungfu Academy, and, of course, delicious Chinese food.
Photo by Assunta Ng
On behalf of the city of Seattle and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Cho, the Director of Strategic Initiatives, congratulated building owners, the Suns, for revitalizing a cherished community space which has hosted numerous events including Harrell’s first mayoral campaign.
Cho also thanked Zhao for taking on the challenge of bringing the sacred space back to the community.
Subsequently, Cho presented a proclamation recognizing the landmark building’s revival as a Seattle public gathering space for residents and visitors, dated Dec. 22, 2024, as Seattle Harbor Day, to celebrate the grand opening.
Zhao described the event as a humbling, once-in-a-lifetime experience to be part of such a crowd.
“I’ve been in many crowds, but this was a different experience. I don’t have the words to describe it. It was overwhelming, yet, it gave me a lot to look forward to, to see so many people show up to support,” he said.
Former Gov. Gary Locke even sent a video to Zhao congratulating him on the occasion.
The event was a family affair as many of Zhao’s family and friends attended and helped with the set up, buffet line, and clean up—which he was very grateful for.
Looking forward
Zhao described the restaurant as one of a kind.
“It will take a lot to hold its name and value to the community, but we will definitely give more than 100 percent to keep it the way it was and try to better it,” he said.
His wife, Lori Choi, shared the feedback she’s heard.
“People were saying how grateful they were that we were bringing this iconic China Harbor back because it’s great for the community and they would hate to see it disappear in Seattle.”
Zhao shared that the Sun family’s sincerity was what made this opportunity special.
“They really wanted someone capable and someone who’s done this before. We were once competitors, but eventually, we got together and found a way to work together, numbers- and potential-wise,” he said.
Zhao reassured the community that all of the major concerns, such as the restaurant’s foundation, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning problems, have been resolved. He also wanted people to know that there are free two-hour parking spots north of the restaurant, in addition to the paid spots.
In addition, Seattle Harbor will have an upgraded menu featuring dim sum, authentic Cantonese-style and Sichuan-style food, as well as seafood. Some of Zhao’s favorites include soup shrimp dumpling, avocado barbecue pork bun, and sesame chicken crisp.
Amber Lee, a long-time Seattle resident and a marketing professional, expressed her excitement about the reopening of Seattle Harbor. It’s a local institution she has known since she was a child.
When she learned of the new ownership, she was intrigued by the potential to host large parties there again.
“I was sad to hear that it was closing down, but then I heard that they found a new owner. I was just excited about it because I selfishly always envisioned having a New Year’s party here so I reached out to Vince to learn more about what he was doing in the space.”
Lee said that attending some Seattle events can be really expensive and the execution isn’t great, so she’s hoping Seattle Harbor can provide the space to plan affordable events that can still be fun and energetic.
Kristy Wang, president of the Washington Overseas Chinese Artists Association, said that she is excited to have more events and gatherings for the Chinese community to further promote Chinese culture and arts in the future.
“I’m grateful to continue to have the space as a gathering point so more people can learn more about our Chinese heritage, culture, and arts.”
Photo by Assunta Ng
Nina can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.