A new redwood bench on the corner of 5th and Webster is more than a piece of furniture.
The bench commemorates an iconic local business and is a replacement for one that was showing the sad test of time.
The new bench memorializes Chung Sun Market, which closed in 2014 after being a staple in the community for decades.
” The Lee family meant a lot to this community,” said Cindy Campbell, president of the Colusa County Chamber of Commerce.
The bench replacement and re-dedication on Thursday was a joint effort of the Chamber of Commerce, Colusa Rotary, and Colusa Industrial Properties.
” The Chamber was contacted originally about fixing the bench by a member of the community,” Campbell said.
Chung Sun Markets history began when Colusa resident Kam Kee Lee started the market on Main Street in 1920, and often delivered goods and produce directly to his customers.
Sons Roy, Jimmy and Bob Lee and their brother-in-law, Sunny Park, opened the market at 110 Sixth St. on Jan. 18, 1957.
Chung Sun employed about 19 people and operated until July 31, 2014, when the beloved market closed its doors.
Rotarian Jon Wrysinski constructed the bench using premium redwood from Fort Bragg and engraved the dates to memorialize the store’s years of operation.
” Hopefully, this will last another 25 or 30 years,” Wrysinski said.
Campbell said she was in contact with the Lee family about the bench replacement and rededication, and that Roy Lee, who was unable to attend, sent his thanks to the community for honoring his familys store.
The Rotary Club of Colusa is also spearheading new memorial benches to memorialize three Rotarians who were icons in the community: Charlie Tuttle (1927-2019), Wayne Hoblit (1923-2019), and Jim Balsdon (1928-2019).
Wrysinksi is constructing those benches also and said he would be working with the families to determine their locations.
Like the bench that honors the late Jim Davison (1934-2017), the Rotary emblems will be embedded. –