84 Dixon St
84 Dixon St dates back to 1910 when Philip Lum Chun LEE bought the building for his company Kwong War Chong & Co... It lived many lives across the century, functioning as a general store, a remittance agency for overseas migrants, a lodging house, a family-run restaurant, and a home to the Pang family. On the third floor, was the meeting place for the 'Tong Sen Tong' (同善堂), the clan society for Long Du people in Sydney.
After Philip passed away in 1934, two of his sons Harry and Norman took over the Kwong War Chong business until 1987. Later, the ground floor of 84 Dixon Street was turned into a tea house and gift shop named 'Live Crafts Centre', although the façade and the original shopfront remained in place.
The building on 82 Dixon Street was been rent out to the Pang family who lived there. Since 1971, Mrs Pang opened up Hingara Restaurant which occupied the ground floor until 2017. It was one of the most beloved family-run restaurants in Chinatown.
The Kwong War Chong building on 82-84 Dixon Street was sold to a property developer in 2020. The building is currently vacant and unused.
Susan's Transcript
RW [Interviewer]: Can you remember the start of the Hingara?
SP [Interviewee Susan Pang]: Yes, I could remember the start of the Hingara. It was after – a couple ‘o’ years after the death ‘o’ my father that, you know, mum thought that, you know, she would have to do something to keep the family going. So, because the New Southern Inn was left empty for three years we asked permission could we lease the property and then with all the help from the family – they cleaned it all up – and that’s when the Hingara started, on 27th of January, 1971. The name, Hingara, was chosen just to rhyme with the Chinese name. It was taken from my father’s name and my godfather’s name; Hing, from Hing Pang and Hing Yu Lee. So, rather than – in Chinese it’s called Hing’s Place but rather than keeping that name as Hing’s Place they made it rhyme, to rhyme with the Chinese, Hingara Hung Na.
RR: So, what does that mean – Hing’s Place?
SP: Hing’s Place. It means “lucky and beautiful”, yes.
RR: And was it?
SP: Oh, well, yes.
