By: Michael Reel
The quality of service and genuine interaction between the owner, employees, and customers of Del Liquor caught the attention of Reel Urban News well in advance of the violence that has plagued Asian American communities across the nation for centuries.
Necessary security measures have made meaningful customer service difficult at many liquor stores in South Central L.A. To ensure their safety, store owners and their employees, often family members, must serve customers from behind bulletproof glass.
Tensions between African Americans and Asian Americans have escalated since the March 1991 shooting of Latasha Harlins, the 15-year-old African American teen shot in the back by Soon Ja Du, a 51-year-old Korean American convenience store owner. The tensions caused by the shooting were said to be one of the catalysts for the 1992 Los Angeles riots, in which 65 percent of all businesses vandalized were Korean-owned.
Korean store owners were understandably anxious; in September 1986 alone, four Korean merchants were murdered during robberies in South Los Angeles, and 15 were killed in the 18 months before Harlin was killed.
Kenny Kang, owner of Del Liquor in Carson, California, understands that healing needs to happen in the community.
In 2014, Kang spoke exclusively with Michael Reel of Reel Urban News about his family’s long-time business ties to the South Bay community and the special relationships he has fostered with his customers through the years.
“Most of my customers are very generous people,” said Kang, “and I’ve known them for a long time.” Kang, a veteran businessman, not only knows his customer base but understands his customers. “Ninety-eight percent are loyal customers and the customer is always right.”
