National Dollar Stores
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Predecessor | China Toggery, Sang Lee Dry Goods |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Founder | Joe Shoong |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Closed |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | Western United States |
Key people | Joe Shoong (founder), Milton Shoong (president) |
| Products | Apparel, household items |
Number of employees | 700 (1959) |
National Dollar Stores, Ltd. (Chinese: 中興公司, Chung Hing), initially known as China Toggery and later Sang Lee Dry Goods, was a retail chain owned by Chinese Americans that operated predominantly in the western United States from 1903 until 1996. Established by entrepreneur and philanthropist Joe Shoong in 1903 and officially incorporated in 1921, it holds the distinction of being the first retail chain on the West Coast and ranks among the largest Chinese American-owned retail enterprises in U.S. history.
The company began under the name China Toggery (中兴, which translates to “revival” or “resurgence”) with its headquarters located at 927-929 Market Street, San Francisco starting in 1905. In 1928, Shoong changed the brand to National Dollar Store. The chain primarily served low-income clientele, often from minority communities, providing affordable apparel and household items. By 1959, National Dollar Stores operated 54 locations across six states in the western region, employing roughly 700 individuals.
Store managers
A 1938 Time magazine article highlighted that National Dollar Stores was notably owned and managed mainly by Chinese Americans, while approximately 90% of its retail sales staff were white. Most early managers were relatives of Shoong from his native Guangdong province. Shoong’s management style included offering them housing, competitive wages, profit-sharing plans, and financial support for their children’s education—an approach designed to build loyalty and ensure consistent operations.
Manufacturing and the 1938 strike
To keep prices competitive, Shoong ran a manufacturing facility in San Francisco’s Chinatown that produced goods internally instead of relying on imports. In a 1924 interview, Shoong explained that his business model focused on selling directly from factory to consumer to guarantee stylish products at lower costs.
In 1937, workers at this factory organized with the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) to establish Local 341. They sought a union contract along with higher wages, official recognition, and improved working conditions. On February 8, 1938, Shoong sold the factory to Golden Gate Manufacturing, a company led by the factory manager and a former employee. The ILGWU perceived this move as an attempt to undermine union efforts; consequently, over 100 employees went on strike starting February 26 at both the factory and three retail outlets. After a strike lasting thirteen weeks, Golden Gate Manufacturing consented to a 5% wage increase, a standardized 40-hour workweek, enhanced health and safety protocols, and employment guarantees for eleven months per year. Despite these concessions, National Dollar Stores shifted its merchandise sourcing away from Golden Gate, which led to the factory’s closure in 1939 and subsequent job losses.
"National" name change and store closure
From 1965 through 1970, Milton Shoong—Joe Shoong’s son who succeeded him as president—undertook rebranding efforts that shortened the chain’s name from "National Dollar Stores" to simply "National."
The company encountered considerable difficulties toward the end of the twentieth century. The 1989 San Francisco earthquake inflicted damage on two locations requiring extensive repairs. During the early 1990s recession period, additional harm was inflicted on eleven stores in the Los Angeles area amid the 1992 civil unrest.
In 1996, management consultant Robert Kahn criticized National’s outdated retail format and ineffective merchandising tactics.
Ultimately, on February 15, 1996—nearly a century after its inception—the National chain shuttered its remaining 27 stores, resulting in about 400 employees losing their jobs.
Store Locations
The timeline of store inaugurations is presented in order, including known closure dates:
- 1901-1903: Vallejo, California (Sang Lee Dry Goods)
- 1903-1905: San Francisco, California, Fillmore Street (Sang Lee Dry Goods)
- 1905: San Francisco, California, Market Street
- 1916: Sacramento, California
- 1918: San Jose and Fresno, California
- 1919: Pasadena and San Diego, California
- 1920: San Bernardino, California
- 1921: Long Beach, California
- 1924: Oakland, California
- 1925: Stockton, California
- 1926: Seattle, Washington
- 1927: Portland, Oregon; Tacoma, Washington
- By 1928: Honolulu, Hawaii; Nevada
- 1928: Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah; Modesto, California
- 1929: Monterey and Vallejo (433 Georgia Street), California
- 1930: Bakersfield and Santa Rosa, California; Kansas City, Missouri; San Francisco (Fillmore and Mission Streets)
- 1931: Berkeley, Chico, and Salinas, California
- 1932: Reno, Nevada; San Luis Obispo, California
- 1933: Los Angeles (Whittier Boulevard); Santa Cruz, California
- 1934: Los Angeles (South Broadway); Richmond, California
- 1936: Calexico, Spokane (Washington); Ventura and Watsonville (California)
- 1937: Huntington Park, California
- By 1946: Marysville, Pittsburg, Pomona (all in California); three locations in Los Angeles; third site in San Francisco
- Probably after 1946: second Oakland location in California
- 1949: Honolulu (Waialae Avenue), Hawaii
- 1951-1996: Maui, Hawaii
- 1962-1983: San Francisco (Stockton Street), California
- 1983: San Francisco (Broadway), Arizona; Texas