How it all began.
On October 28, 1952, Charlie Cheung arrived in Toronto from China in search for a better future. He was only 23 years old. His 1st job was at Fat Laundry, which paid $10 per week. During this time the owner allowed young Charlie to sleep in the back room of the laundry mat because he didn't have enough money to get a place of his own. Shortly after, he got his secondjob working at Nanking Restaurant located on Elizabeth Street (in a communitywhich would become Toronto's first Chinatown). This job paid $35 per week. Charlie's duties at the restaurant included everything from cleaning floors, cooking, and delivering Chinese food. This was considered a good job for someone without an education. He stayed in their employ for 18 years.
In 1957, Betty came to Canada tojoin her husband Charlie. By this time, Charlie had saved enoughmoney to buy a house at 39 Beverly St. where they bothlived for the next 7 years.
During the 1960's, Charlie and Betty had both set afoundation where they started to build something substantial. Betty was working as a seamstress while Charlie continued working atNanking Restaurant all whilemaking connections with otherrestaurant owners.
In the evenings, Charlie and Betty started producing andselling cured meats from the smoke room they built inthe basem*nt of their home. This product became verypopular in the Chinese Community. Charlie then made adeal with Quality Meat Packers to buy all of their porkstomachs, a product that was being disposed of becausethe Western Market had no use for it. These porkstomachs were considered a delicacy in the Chinese Community, and Charlie now had a monopoly.
In 1971, Charlie and Betty decided to start their own business. They purchased a small building at 383 Broadview Avenue which was the beginning of"CHARLIE'S MEAT". As theChinese population in Toronto grew over time, so did their business.
