(Picture courtesy of the L.A. Times)
Orange County’s Vietnamese voters have come of age, according to an L.A. Times article: “There are now 10 Vietnamese Americans from Orange County who have been elected to school boards, city councils, the county Board of Supervisors and the state Assembly.”
The article didn’t really reveal anything new, except for an update regarding the first Orange County Vietnamese American to get elected to a local office – Tony Lam. I have lost track of Lam over the years, but according to the L.A. Times, “He now manages a Lee’s Sandwiches, officially retired from politics.”
But is he really retired from politics? Lam is not affiliated with the “Trannies” – the followers of Assemblyman Van Tran. But he does advise, at least unofficially, Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen. And her husband, Tom Bonikowski, owns a Lee’s Sandwiches franchise in Stanton. I don’t think it is serendipity that Lam manages a Lee’s Sandwiches location and Bonikowski owns one.
Opening a Lee’s Sandwiches franchise requires quite an investment. “The estimated initial investment to establish a LEE’S SANDWICHES Production Unit ranges from $1,288,180 to $1,986,620 with a Franchise Fee of $75,000. The estimated initial investment for a Non-Production Unit ranges from $418,260 to $841,690 and includes a $50,000 Franchise Fee. The Mall Unit has an estimated initial investment ranging from $248,180 to $432,120, which includes a Franchise Fee of $35,000,” according to Lee’s website.
Lee’s Sandwiches is a successful company that is aggressively expanding. “Lee’s Sandwiches started in San Jose in 1983 and revamped their concept by adding European sandwiches along with their famous Vietnamese sandwiches, “banh mi” in 2001. Within 7 years, Lee’s Sandwiches has grown to 36 stores domestically in California, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma,” according to a company press release.
Their expansion has now taken the company to Vietnam. ” In a major partnership with the Korean-based pastry company, Deli Manjoo, Lee’s Coffee is opening in the Central Business District 1 of
Saigon, Vietnam.”
Now that is interesting. There are many Vietnamese American activists who still hate the Vietnamese government. I wonder what they will think about Supervisor Nguyen now that her husband is involved with a company that is doing business in Saigon? I think it is a good idea – but the Vietnamese anti-Commie activists are sometimes a rather crazed bunch. There is no telling what they will make of this.
The Lee’s company isn’t stopping with its Vietnamese location. Lee’s Coffee, and its partner, Deli Manjoo, plan on “expanding this concept and opening locations in Korea, China, Taiwan & Japan in the near future,” again according to the same press release.
Well, if Supervisor Nguyen loses her job when she comes up for re-election, I guess she can get involved in the Lee’s Sandwiches company too. That wouldn’t be too bad. They do make great sandwiches!
Where did Janet and Tom get the money for a Lee’s Sandwiches franchise? Last I heard they were really struggling for cash before Janet got elected to the Board of Supervisors.
Something seems fishy.
Tony is Janet’s appointee to the OC Planning Commission where he prepresents the 1st Supe District.
American capitalism makes for even stranger bedfellows than our politics does…
Art writes: “Now that is interesting. There are many Vietnamese American activists who still hate the Vietnamese government. I wonder what they will think about Supervisor Nguyen now that her husband is involved with a company that is doing business in Saigon? I think it is a good idea – but the Vietnamese anti-Commie activists are sometimes a rather crazed bunch. There is no telling what they will make of this.”
How many of the businesses in Little Saigon are financed with Chinese money – all, most, or a few?