DC Chinatown's Bean Sprout Factory Site to Become a Bookshop as 1882 Foundation Builds Toy, Book and Craft Space
In Washington's Chinatown, District of Columbia, the 1882 Foundation is turning a space in the alley behind Tony Cheng's Restaurant into a shop named The Bean Sprout Factory — Toys, Crafts & Books.
According to a report published on November 1, the name comes from the five-story bean sprout warehouse of Chinatown history, which grew sprouts on a large scale for restaurants across the capital, New York and Philadelphia, where neighborhood children once helped water, harvest and package the sprouts. The new shop will sit in the alley behind Tony Cheng's at 616 I Street NW, part of a redevelopment of the block led by Monument Realty.
The Foundation says the space will offer educational toys, books, crafts and hands-on programs for young families, children, teachers and lifelong learners, with a dedicated book space and a community room in the heart of Chinatown to help visitors connect with the history of Chinese communities in America.
The Foundation's 2025 annual report, released in August 2026, says a dedicated community space in the heart of Chinatown has been committed for the project, but no opening date has been announced. Through its Chinatown Futures initiative, the Foundation works to keep Chinatown vibrant, inclusive and resilient.
(Source: 1882 Foundation)
Source: 1882 Foundation
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：华盛顿华埠友谊门。Carol M. Highsmith 摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Friendship Gate at the entryway to Chinatown, Washington, D.C. By Carol M. Highsmith, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
