Now for a well deserved break.

Patrons may be surprised to see new faces behind the counter at Kwong On Chinese Takeaways. Robert and Kim who have served Martinborough people seven days a week non stop for so many years have sold the business.

There are no definite plans for the future apart that they have no intention to leave Martinborough “We really love it here” explained Robert. For the moment they are just thoroughly enjoying the rest. Being able to sit and watch the Rugby test, for instance, was an unaccustomed treat. Meantime a trip to China is being planned for some time next year.

Family connections with Martinborough go back for well over a century. Joe Kenny Young established the business in Martinborough in the late 1800s he named the shop Joe Kwong On which means’ Everybody is comfortable all of the time’. In 1918 he was joined by his son Joe Bing who emigrated from Canton.

In her book Canoes of Kupe Roberta McIntyre relates how during the great depression Joe Bing thought that the business would collapse. Nevertheless when people genuinely couldn’t afford to pay he gave them food anyway. Others were let off their accounts , “we were all good friends from the slump times – like brothers” he explained.

Robert went to Martinborough school and then Kuranui College. In 1966 he joined his father, who was having trouble with his eyesight, in the business. With his poor eyesight Joe was having to have his produce carried from the Wellington markets by Chapman Brothers however with Robert in the company a truck was soon purchased for the job. The Monday and Thursday market days meant early starts.
Kim came into Robert’s life in 1976 having been introduced by Kim’s brother who Robert had become friendly with during their time spent attending the market days. Kim was soon well settled in Martinborough and assisting in the business, as did their own children as they grew up.

These were the days when no trading in the weekends rules were strictly enforced. However the rules did not apply to New Zealand grown fruit and vegetables. The shop sold a full range of groceries and on Friday night the fruit and veges were transferred to the small shop on the side to be sold during the weekend. Robert recalls how shearing gangs would turn up during the weekend needing to replenish their stores. They would be served in the grocery side then the boxes taken through to the fruit side to have fruit and veges placed on top to hide the groceries before being taken out and loaded onto their vehicles.

Eventually it was decided that the Saturday openings were not worth the trouble and was discontinued. The side shop remained empty for some time. Robert’s relations ran restaurants and takeaways in Auckland and his brother convinced Robert that the small shop would be ideal for a Chinese Takeaway. He also agreed to come and help get the business underway. However with the expensive renovation and fit out complete he had a change of mind – it was left on Robert and Kim’s plate. “We went up to Auckland for a crash course in takeaways” Robert remembers with a smile. The takeaway opened in 1996.

Running two businesses at once resulted in horrendous work hours with market days in particular meaning little sleep. On Wednesdays and Sundays the takeaway would be closed and cleaned up by around midnight, Robert would then grab three hours sleep before once again up and on the go at 3am to head off to the market. Robert and Kim continued to run both businesses until 2002 when a serious fire almost destroyed the building. Both businesses were closed down for some time as repairs were carried out. This provided an opportunity to revalue the situation and it was decided to not reopen the fruit and vegetable shop but concentrate on the takeaway business. The former shop was eventually leased out as a Thai restaurant.

Having decided to sell the business the problem was finding a buyer with Chinese cooking expertise. The business was advertised in a Wellington published, a widely circulated Chinese Newspaper, with some success. There were numerous enquiries, Robert was amused to find that some did not have any idea where Martinborough actually was.

The takeaway has been purchased by a young couple from Palmerston North – Zhi Quang Wu and Jian Min Liang. Robert and Kim hope that the Martinborough people will continue giving the same loyal support to the new owners as they themselves have enjoyed and appreciated.