Chinese Laundry

The Chinese Laundry is a commercial building from the 1920s located on 4th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter, featuring the clean lines and modest ornamentation typical of early 20th-century retail structures. The building stands as a straightforward brick and stone construction that housed both shop space and residential areas for workers.

Built in 1923, this structure operated as the Hop Lee Chong Laundry from its opening through 1964. The decades of operation coincided with when such businesses were vital parts of San Diego's immigrant economy.

The building reflects how Chinese immigrants built businesses and community spaces in San Diego's early commercial districts. Laundries like this one served both as places to work and gather, creating important economic and social networks.

The building sits on 4th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter, where you can walk along the street to spot the historical marker and view the exterior. The area is pedestrian-friendly and allows you to see the structure at any time.

The upper floors housed several Oriental businesses including the Tuck and Tong Herb Company, which supplied traditional herbal remedies and goods to the local Chinese community. These commercial spaces reveal how mixed-use the building became over time.