It’s Uncertain Times for Jungs Dried Beef in Chinatown
Photo: Karlin Chan
Jungs Dried Beef has been a Chinatown staple for decades. It now faces an uncertain future.
Jungs opened its doors in 1962 at 85 Bayard Street, selling Chinese-style beef jerky. The business was passed down through four generations, and now serves from a storefront at 58 Mulberry.
In the sixty years since its founding, the spot became a favorite among both locals and tourists, and earned a loyal following. Their traditional Chinese snack became popular for holiday gifting or personal consumption.
Pre-Covid, Jungs was bustling with out-of-town visitors – some from as far as Canada – and customers would pre-order to avoid the lines or risk going home empty handed.
However, the pandemic lockdowns and mandates eroded the customer base and hurt their bottom line. The soaring cost of meat products didn’t help balance their books, either. They have tried applying for gov’t PPP assistance, and even the Welcome to Chinatown legacy business grants, but were passed over and recieved no assistance.
In a gentrified Chinatown and with many younger Chinese steering away from old school snacks Jungs faces uncertain times.
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