Have you ever passed a building you knew had a lot of history? With more than 300 years under its belt, San Antonio is home to an abundance of historic spaces, including the Wong Grocery Co. building, which still stands in the SoFlo neighborhood. While the structure remains, transplants and younger generations might not know the story behind Wong Grocery or the Chinese family that shaped it for decades.
The Wong Grocery Co. building was originally built in 1901 as a general store, but it wasn’t until the 1920s that it became a recognizable business. Multiple sources recognize that the Wong family, which emigrated from China throughout the 1900s, owned and operated Wong Grocery Co. in the two-story building from 1928 to 1972. Many members of the San Antonio-based Wong family went on to start their own grocery and convenience stores.
Throughout those years, many members of the Wong family helped run the grocery store, but the name that comes up most often is Thomas Wong, also known as Huie Tung Park, who reportedly founded the business. The building would operate under the Wongs until 1995, when it was sold to Brent Widen, a local artist who appears to run a Facebook page dedicated to the Wong Grocery Co.’s history.
Since changing hands more than 30 years ago, the space has been many things, from an art studio to a restaurant and bar. Parts of the building have been divided into suites, allowing a cacophony of concepts to operate within its walls over the years. One of those suites even served as office space for Chamoy Creative, an advertising agency that has since relocated to San Antonio’s midtown.
In April 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Wong’s Bodega opened in the Wong Grocery Co. building, honoring its history by using the same name. However, the store-coffee shop hybrid did not last long and shuttered by September 2021. Now, 1502 S. Flores St. seems to host small, local businesses, such as Fellows Massage & Wellness, which lists the address on its website. But the building still bears its predecessor’s name right out front for all to see, a piece of San Antonio history that continues to stand the test of time…