Peking Palace to close after long-time proprietor, Frank Lam, dies

NEWS RELEASE
PEKING PALACE
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45 years is a long time.

The Peking Palace, operated by Frank and Betty Lam, has been a fixture at the corner of Wellington Street West and Beverly Street in Steelton for 45 years.

At that time, the former township boasted its own library, and businesses such as Dominion TV, the Flower Basket, Cunningham’s Ladies Wear, and the Handy Store dotted Wellington Street West. While many businesses from that era remain, such as Paesano’s, Mobile Glass, and Merrett’s Pharmacy, the Peking Palace is the only one that’s still run by the original owners rather than sold or passed down to the next generation.

Dan Yip “Frank” Lam moved to Canada from communist China at the age of 16, in search of a better life. He married Betty in Toronto and the couple settled in Sault Ste. Marie near Betty’s family.

Her brothers and sisters-in-law still run the Sun Kwong restaurant on Queen St, and her sister and brother-in-law still run the China House restaurant on Wallace Terrace.

Frank spent several years as head cook at the old Empire Hotel on Bay Street, where he worked alongside the future owners of many of the Sault’s prominent Italian restaurants.

Like many first generation immigrants, Frank aspired to own his own business. He and Betty opened the Peking Palace in 1973, along with their young children Margaret and Daniel.

Daniel remembers growing up in the restaurant fondly.

“All the waitresses, dishwashers, pretty well everyone who worked in the restaurant went on to have successful careers. They used to do their homework at one of the tables when it wasn’t busy, and Margaret and I would be doing our homework, and they became our tutors.”

Daniel, who considers himself somewhat of an amateur historian of the Steelton area, believes that the restaurant was once the original location for Rico’s based on documents he found in the basement. Prior to the Peking Palace opening, there was a barbershop located in what is now the kitchen, and the restaurant area was divided into two businesses.

Over the years the Peking Palace saw minimal changes as the needs of their customers changed.

Steelton was once a ‘dry area’ until Frank and Betty applied for a liquor licence in 1985 and installed a bar in the restaurant. This necessitated travelling to Toronto for seminars on serving alcohol, and the Peking Palace Restaurant became the Peking Palace Restaurant & Tavern.

Other changes throughout the years included a now-defunct banquet room in the basement that was used for private parties.

In 1998, as a sign of gratitude to their loyal customer base, Frank and Betty began offering their long-running special – Buy 1 Peking Combo, get the 2nd for $1. Without much of a profit margin, this special remained their ‘thank you’ to customers. It was not unusual to hear Betty say, “Total two or total four?” whenever someone would order two Peking Combos.

In recent years, with both children living out of town, Frank and Betty have slowed things down.

For the past eight years they’ve run the restaurant single handedly, with the majority of business being take-out orders, but still providing eat-in service, and only keeping the restaurant open for  dinner service, instead of the 16 hour days they put in during the restaurants heyday.

This also allowed some freedom to travel, with their daughter living in the US and their son living up north.

One of Frank and Betty’s favourite things to do together was go across the river for the evening for dinner. It was there that Frank collapsed of a heart attack on Sept. 17. Frank Lam passed away a few hours later, with his wife of 51 years and business partner of 45 by his side.

After a lifetime of serving people, Betty and her two children have decided to keep the restaurant open until Oct. 11,  to be able to say farewell to the community she’s served for so long. At that time, the Peking Palace will close it’s doors as Daniel and Margaret return home to their respective careers. Betty plans to stay in Sault Ste. Marie part of the time and divide the rest of her time between her son and daughter, enjoying semi-retirement.

If you enjoy your Chinese take-out and delivery, the Peking Palace will be open from 3-10 daily, with the last day being Oct. 11.

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