Sunset Height's Shanghai Grocery was razed for 'Downtown Freeway': Trish Long

Rosa Diaz wrote in to say: "We always hear of the Sunset Grocery Store that is currently in Sunset Heights and its history. My husband I were wondering if you could find some information on the owners of the Shanghai Grocery Store that was also located in Sunset Heights before I-10 was built.

"The owners last name was Yee, and we understand they moved to Alamogordo when bought out. We know they had five boys. We understand that it was a bigger grocery store then Sunset Grocery.

"If possible and if found, a picture of the store and owners would be greatly appreciated. It was located at Missouri and Los Angeles."

The Shanghai Grocery was located at 646 W. Missouri Ave. and held its grand opening April 17-18, 1937. Steak was 25 cents per pound, roast was 15 cents per pound and sliced bacon 32 cents per pound. I have yet to locate a photo of the grocery.

A Feb. 2, 1942, business directory listing shows Joe Yat Noon and Yee Yuk Toa as proprietors.

An obituary for Yuk Yee ‒ a different order of the names ‒ ran in the El Paso Times in April 1962. The 83-year-old was a resident of El Paso for 40 years and was survived by his son Kuey Yee.

A May 2, 1954, article, "Hoodlums Kick Dog, Beat Man," interviews witness Kuey Yee, proprietor of the Shanghai Grocery Store.

Freeway cut wide path through El Paso

A March 4, 1960, article described how the plans for the upcoming Downtown freeway through El Paso would change Missouri:

Figure 9: Missouri avenue at Coldwell Street. The south line of the right-of-way cuts through the three-story apartment house at 523 West Missouri, another three-story apartment house at 527, and the Cliff apartments, also three-story, at 531 West Missouri, and takes the three-story Harvey apartments at 541 Missouri, and after crossing Caldwell street the south line turns south to West Main street; the north line, after crossing Caldwell, cuts through the back yard of residence at 600 Upson and takes the two-story apartment house at 611 Missouri, clipping and possibly taking the house at 621. The right-of-way takes everything between Missouri and Main Street in the 600 block, including 10 residential buildings and the Shanghai Grocery and Meat Market, on the south side of Missouri; four residential properties fronting on Coldwell, 10 fronting on Main, and two fronting on Los Angeles Drive, where the freeway crosses Main to the south side of Main and runs west-northwest under the Main Street overpass.

The irregular right-of-way through the central part of the city, varying in width up to an entire block, is made necessary, the state highway officials explained, because of the access and egress ramps, overpasses, traffic exchanges and other extensions from the main freeway necessary to serve vehicles.

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Yee family moves to Alamogordo

The Shanghai Grocery operated until 1964 and then Yee, his wife Fung Wa “Sylvia” and their children moved to Alamogordo in 1966.

A July 31, 1966, advertisement in the Alamogordo Daily News announced the opening of the new Chinese Star Café at 915 Pennsylvania. Kuey Lee was the owner and manager of the restaurant specializing in “Quality Chinese foods, Mexican Foods, delicious steaks and seafoods.”

Army veteran of WWII

Kuey Yee’s obituary ran in the El Paso Times on March 12, 1993, and lists his five surviving sons:

Kuey “Buck” Yee, 77, of Alamogordo, died Saturday, March 6, 1993, at an Alamogordo hospital. Mr. Yee was born in Hoy Sun, China, on April 2, 1915.He came to the United States in 1931 and worked as an apprentice gourmet chef of the New China Restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, during the Big Band era. After becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States, he served in the U.S. Army from December 1942 until November 1945 during which time he was in the campaigns in Sicily, Italy and Africa.

While stationed at Fort Bliss he was honorably discharged after receiving the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He settled in El Paso where he owned and operated the Shanghai Grocer Store in the historic Sunset Heights District until 1964. He was one of the charter members of the Tri-State Wholesale Associated Grocers, Inc. He moved to Alamogordo in 1966 and established the Chinese star Café.

Survivors include his wife, Fung Wa “Sylvia” Yee of the family home in Alamogordo; five sons: Paul Yee of St. Louis, Missouri, Young Lee and his wife Mary Lou of Las Cruces, Steve Yee of Lancaster, CA., James Yee of Las Cruces, and Mike Yee and his wife Christina of Martinez, CA.

Sylvia Yee’s obituary ran in theEl Paso Times on June 17, 1995, and offered additional information about her:

Fung Wa “Sylvia” Yee, 67, of Alamogordo, NM, passed away on June 14, 1995. Mrs. Yee was born in Canton, China on October 23, 1927. She married Kuey Yee in 1947 and came to the United States in 1948. They owned and operated the Shanghai Grocery Store in El Paso until 1964. She then moved to Alamogordo in 1966 and established the Chinese Star Café with her husband.

There were services in Alamogordo and El Paso for both Kuey and Sylvia Yee.

Trish Long may be reached at tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Sunset Height's Shanghai Grocery razed for Downtown I-10: Trish Long