Pacific Fruit Packing Company Chinatown San Francisco 1 Editorial Image

Lew Hing was born in the Canton area of China in about 1858, and with an older brother already in San Francisco running his own business, the now eleven year old Lew was sent to San Francisco to help his brother. One thing young Lew quickly realized was, if they could sell to both the Chinese, as well as the broader White community, they would do much better. So, while working, he also went to school to learn English and the American ways. A few years later when the brother went back to China to see family, the whole ship was lost at sea to a fire, leaving now fourteen year old Lew in charge of everything. Now also fluent in English, he both expanded the business and learned the new process of foods canning. In 1888, with other Chinese investors, Lew opened the Pacific Fruit Packing Company, a very un-Chinese sounding business name. The business grew and expanded, eventually owning four buildings along Stockton Street, which included this one on the corner of Sacramento. Unfortunately, all of his success also brought a great deal of unwanted, and outright racist media coverage. Eventually Lew just gave up and sold out in despair, for now. Success. Technology. Despair. As seen 19 October 2022.