I'd rather not show photos of china alley but I will. It's not like I remember it from years back when the famous Imperial Dynasty was at its peak when only the rich and famous who would visit from all over the world could afford to sit at a table on the continental side I can't remember which but a president ate there once , I don't remember the exact price but to sit at a table back in 1983 would put you back $400 or $ 500 at the least I know this because sometimes after school (I attended Hanford High ) I would help my mother set all the tables , I liked helping because there was so much too see I was fortunate to step into the huge wine room with the most expensive bottles of wine not to mention the price of a glass of wine , my mother worked there for a few years, and another impressive area there i don't know why I remember it was the ladies powder room or bathroom i walked in to help clean it and I have never seen a bathroom so huge and all the chairs that were placed throughout the waiting area in the room also all the mirrors with there own chair and table decorated throughout out . today there is an area right across on the same lot where people take there plastic and aluminum for recycle , the wing family closed the restraunt a few years back and it has never been the same .The building is still there but to have witnessed it with your own eyes are the only memories good memories one has , most people nowadays have no clue how famous that alley once use to be . I was told a few years back that the building is now used for storage. So sad ! It will always be...
Read moreWe stopped here after eating ice cream at Superior Dairy. We walked around the street, took pictures and stopped at the tea room. A great experience if you are into architecture. This place is on preservation "endangered" lists. It is so beautiful that I hope Hanford keeps this treasure.
This Alley was also the location of the famous Imperial Dynasty restaurant) closed in 2006) and the subject of an NPR story.
Also, across the street is a 1940s Chinese restaurant with a neon "air conditioning" sign. Pretty...
Read moreI love this place. It has lost a lot of it's amazing luster over the years. It still stands as a monument to the history of the Chinese community who once lived here 100+ years ago. The alley is famed for it's restaurants as well. The Imperial Dynasty used to host famous actors and politicians. Now it is a quiet little area that doesn't have much going on except a Tea shop, and grocery, but you can still appreciate the ambiance of what...
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