It’s easy to get overwhelmed at Tap Phong Trading Company, a hub for kitchenware and restaurant supplies that’s been a fixture on Spadina Avenue, in the heart of Chinatown, for 37 years.
“We don’t just offer a huge range of products but also have a wide range of price points,” says the store’s retail manager, Lili Tran, on a recent Monday morning. Her grandparents , parents and aunt and uncle first opened Tap Phong soon after emigrating to Canada from Vietnam. When Tran was growing up near Bloor and Ossington, she would often join her family at the store, where she learned about managing the business from behind the counter, how to interact with customers and how to talk about their products, including Royal Classic dinner plates, paring knives and espresso machines. “Sure, I might’ve missed out on some social stuff because I was at Tap Phong,” Tran says, “but I really appreciate how my grandparents instilled in me a strong work ethic.
I remember going there all the time as a kid. I still like to go in there to buy bubble tea straws and kitchenware stuff
Hands down one of the best stores in Toronto
Tap Phong is a gem of a place. The ladies there are so helpful. Lily (one of the family members) is absolutely incredible❤️ I took a friend from London ON in for her 1st visit the other day. She was in awe! Love this place and their huge selection.
I used to go there all the time. Momma at the front on the right.