Chang Ball Bazaar and Laundry

The late 1800s was a bustling time of industrialization and economic growth for not only the state of Michigan, but the whole country. In Michigan the lumber, agriculture, and railroad industries are just a few examples of the booming business that was on the rise. With this swift move towards industrial capitalism, the call for laborers was also at an all time high. These job openings drew in immigrants from all over the world, but in Michigan mainly Mexican and Chinese immigrants moved in to fill laboring positions. This is what drew Chan(g) Ball to Michigan in 1872[1]. Chang Ball’s Chinese Bazaar and Laundry, located at 21 E Bridge St., is important because it gives context to how the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 affected Chinese immigrants, was the first exclusively Chinese products store in Grand Rapids, and brought Chinese culture to Grand Rapids.

[1] www.grcmc.org, “Chang Ball’s Case.”

At this time nationally, the United States was expanding land-wise, economically, industrially, and population-wise. Due to the idea of Manifest Destiny and westward expansion, the government tried to develop the bleak, wild west. This started with the building of railroads that required thousands of laborers, most importantly immigrant laborers. Chinese immigrants played a major roll in building the railroad system, and ultimately the infrastructure that resulted in the country growing to what it is today. 

Not everyone appreciated the Chinese help with the railroads. Employers paid the Chinese low wages and this undercut American workers, who in turn blamed the Chinese. They also put pressure on the US government to ban Chinese laborers from coming into the country. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States until the year 1943[2]. This meant that only Chinese scholars, diplomats, and merchants were allowed entry into the US. This act also excluded already immigrated Chinese men and women from becoming American citizens

In the state of Michigan at this time, there was a large influx of immigrants from Europe and certain Chinese who were not excluded running in to be laborers and factory workers in the Upper Peninsula and coming industries such as lumbering, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, especially in Detroit. With this influx of immigrants coming in for new opportunities and new jobs, there was also the average white American who was angered by the foreigners for taking “American jobs”. While racial tensions were not at an all time high at this point in history, the tension was certainly rising. Due to the immigration restriction, Chinese immigrants throughout the whole country took up owning businesses, especially laundry since it was easy to start up without investments. 

In Grand Rapids, there were over five Chinese owned laundromats by 1900[3]. One of those laundromats was owned by Chang Ball and his family in order to provide for his wife and three children. Chang Ball was forced to open his laundromat due to the Chinese Exclusion Act taking away more stable job options. This act targets a minority in order to benefit an already powerful majority and put Chinese laborers in dire financial situations with no way out other than to make a risky business venture which could potentially exacerbate the financial stress. This does not even mention the feeling of inferiority this instilled in Chinese immigrants seeking citizenship, and not being allowed to have a voice within their own communities.

In 1889 Chang Ball added the first ever exclusively Chinese products store to his laundromat. Chang Ball’s store filled with Chinese robes, silk scarves, toys and many more miscellaneous Chinese items drew in more Chinese immigrants due to the availability and visibility of Chinese culture in the area[4]. The Grand Rapids Newspaper published in 1889 that there were a dozen Chinese immigrants living in Grand Rapids[5]. But when looking at a likely incomplete census report from 1910, it includes 24 names of male Chinese immigrants, not including Chang Ball’s wife and children and many others[6]. This shows that the opening of Chang Ball’s Chinese product store as well as other Chinese immigrants opening up their own stores and restaurants helped encourage other Chinese immigrants to move to Grand Rapids for their little slice of home away from their former country.

The Grand Rapids History Center located in the Grand Rapids Public Library should know about Chang Ball’s Bazaar and Laundromat. The Grand Rapids History Center collects any historical documents it can from books, pictures, letters, newspaper clippings, and more. This resource for local and regional history can give more information and context on certain houses, organizations, neighborhoods, and businesses like Chang Ball’s business[7]. By claiming that this city’s history center is able to spread information about past Grand Rapids businesses, they must know about the first ever Chinese products store in the city. With great interest in all history within Grand Rapids it is important for the Grand Rapids History Center to know about the history of its immigrants and their point of view in history to avoid a single narrative of what life was like in Grand Rapids.

[2] “Milestones: 1866–1898 - Office of the Historian.”

[3] www.grcmc.org, “Census Records and Citizenship Declarations of Some Early Chinese in Grand Rapids.”

[4] www.grcmc.org, “First Chinese Store.”

[5] www.grcmc.org, “The Earliest Chinese in Grand Rapids.”

[6] www.grcmc.org, “Census Records and Citizenship Declarations of Some Early Chinese in Grand Rapids.”

[7] “Grand Rapids History Center.”

“Chang_Ball_ad.Jpg 329×500 Pixels.” Accessed July 27, 2023.http://www.historygrandrapids.org/imgs/643/medium/Chang_Ball_ad.jpg.

“Grand Rapids History Center.” Accessed July 29, 2023. https://www.grpl.org/history.

“Milestones: 1866–1898 - Office of the Historian.” Accessed July 29, 2023. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/chinese-immigration.

www.grcmc.org, Grand Rapids Community Media Center-. “Census Records and Citizenship Declarations of Some Early Chinese in Grand Rapids.” History Grand Rapids, April 11, 2013. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/article/2163/census-records-and-citizenship.

“Chang Ball’s Case.” History Grand Rapids. Accessed July 29, 2023. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/document/644/chang-balls-case.

“First Chinese Store.” History Grand Rapids. Accessed July 27, 2023. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/document/642/first-chinese-store.

“The Earliest Chinese in Grand Rapids.” History Grand Rapids, September 30, 2007. http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photoessay/1664/the-earliest-chinese-in-grand-.