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Hae Un Lee
이해언
Lee in 2011
Born(1942-06-27)June 27, 1942[1]
Jecheon, Chūseihoku-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan[1]
DiedAugust 27, 2021(2021-08-27) (aged 79)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesHae Lee[2][3]
EducationDongguk University
OccupationBusinessman
Known forLee's Discount Liquor
SpouseSun Ja Lee
Children3
Korean name
Hangul
이해언
Hanja
李海彦[1]
Revised RomanizationI Hae-eon
McCune–ReischauerRi Hae-ŏn

Hae Un Lee (Korean: 이해언; June 27, 1942 – August 27, 2021) was a Korean-born American businessman and the chief executive officer of Lee's Discount Liquor, which he founded in Nevada in 1981, after immigrating to the United States from South Korea a year earlier. By 2006, the company had become the largest alcohol retailer in Nevada. As of 2017, it operated 22 locations statewide. Lee was a well known philanthropist in his hometown of Las Vegas, where he also owned the Koreatown Plaza shopping center.

Early life

[edit]

Hae Un Lee was born in Jecheon, Chūseihoku-dō (North Chungcheong Province), Korea, Empire of Japan in 1942.[4][5][6] He was educated at Dongguk University in South Korea, where he received a degree in economics and a graduate degree in business.[7][8]

Career

[edit]

During the 1970s, Lee worked in Seoul for ten years at the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, as an investigator of drug traffickers. Dissatisfied with Seoul's overpopulation and its poor education for his children, Lee decided to move his family to the United States in 1980. He stayed with relatives who lived in Las Vegas, although he did not intend to live there permanently. A friend had already persuaded Lee to work as a dry cleaner in New York, but Lee disliked the job and returned to Las Vegas after a month.[9][7][4][10][11] Lee was depressed that he could only get menial and temporary jobs,[7] the result of not knowing how to speak English.[5]

Lee's Discount Liquor

[edit]
Main article: Lee's Discount Liquor

In 1981, Lee opened a liquor store in the Las Vegas Valley called Plaza Liquor, which would later develop into a chain of stores called Lee's Discount Liquor.[7][4][10][11] Initially, Lee operated one of the few standalone liquor stores in Las Vegas, where most packaged alcohol was sold in supermarkets.[4] Lee said he worked hard to ensure the liquor store would be successful. He worked seven days a week and operated the store largely by himself.[10] Lee would work overnight shifts as a bellhop, go home to sleep for three hours, and then open his liquor store for a 12-hour shift.[12] At some point, Lee also worked late-night shifts as a busboy for a casino in downtown Las Vegas, while operating the liquor store during the day, taking naps under the store counter at times.[4][9] Lee's Discount Liquor grew to become a major retailer of alcohol in the Las Vegas Valley.[13]

As of 2006, Lee still worked seven days a week. He considered Las Vegas a difficult place to operate a liquor store because of strict laws, as well as competition from grocery stores and bars. At the time, Lee operated nine of the 45 liquor stores located in the Las Vegas Valley,[14] and Lee's Discount Liquor had become the largest alcohol retailer in Nevada.[7] In 2012, his son Kenny Lee took over daily operations of the company's 17 store locations, although Hae Un Lee maintained some involvement in the business.[15] As of 2016, Hae Un Lee had no plans of retiring from his position as chief executive officer.[10] Lee's remained as the largest liquor retailer in Nevada, with 22 locations.[16]

Other ventures

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In 1992, Lee was the president of the local Korean Association, and he asked businessman James Yu to help operate it with him.[17] In 2006, Lee helped organize plans for a new local bank, First Asian Bank, which would serve Asian entrepreneurs.[18][19] Lee and Yu were among the board members for the bank,[20][21] which opened in 2007.[22] Lee's Tavern, a sports bar and steak house, opened in Mesquite during the same year.[23][24]

When Lee moved to Las Vegas in 1980, there were only a few small Korean grocery stores and restaurants in the city.[9] Lee wanted to expand the local Korean culture. In 2006, Lee and Yu purchased an old Albertsons building and strip mall with plans to renovate it into an Asian shopping center known as Koreatown Plaza, located on Spring Mountain Road near Las Vegas' Chinatown. The project was delayed over the next two years because of construction and asbestos issues. It opened in January 2009.[25][26] A 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) Korean grocery store opened as the anchor tenant later that year, through a lease with Lee. Koreatown Plaza, located on 10 acres, has 900,000 sq ft (84,000 m2) of space, including a 200-seat food court.[27][28] The shopping center has been used as an event space for the Asian community.[26][29]

In January 2012, the Lee family opened a restaurant, Woonam Jung, at Koreatown Plaza. An earlier tenant was to operate the eatery, but the deal did not work out, leaving the Lees to renovate and open the restaurant themselves with help from a Korean chef who would manage it.[30][31][32] The restaurant later became known as Lee's Korean BBQ.[11][32]

Aside from Lee's Discount Liquor, Lee also owned another alcohol retailer, Strip Liquor, a higher-priced store located on the Las Vegas Strip with tourists as the target clientele.[13][15][33]

Personal life and philanthropy

[edit]

Lee was married to Sun Ja Lee; the couple has three children and eight grandchildren.[7][34][5] As of 2007, Lee was a Republican. He had previously been a Democrat.[7] Lee was actively involved in local politics.[9] In 2014, Lee and his wife purchased a $20,000 table for a UNLV Foundation fundraising dinner, with Hillary Clinton giving the keynote address.[35][36]

In 2015, an 87-year-old, longtime employee of Lee filed an age discrimination lawsuit against him, alleging that he had continually mocked her old age before she was eventually demoted and later fired.[37]

Lee was a well-known local philanthropist and had a nonprofit organization, Lee's Helping Hand, which assisted other organizations such as Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Spread the Word.[5][38] Lee's Beer & Tequila Experience and Lee's Wine Experience are annual fundraisers which raise money for Lee's Helping Hand, which would donate $100,000 every year to charities.[15] Lee's Wine Experience offers hundreds of wines for tasting.[39][40][41] Lee's Discount Liquor also helped other Asian businesses through the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, and by 2011 had donated more than $150,000 to local children's charities and other causes over the past decade.[4] As of 2016, Lee's Helping Hand had contributed more than $800,000 to charities in Las Vegas.[11] In 2018, Lee donated to a food drive held at Koreatown Plaza.[29] Lee also frequently donated money and turkeys to Catholic Charities USA for Thanksgiving meals.[7][34][5][42][43]

Lee received several awards and honors.[8] In 2002, Market Watch Magazine named Lee as retailer of the year.[44][15] In 2005, the Nevada district office of the Small Business Administration named Lee as small businessperson of the year for the Asian Chamber of Commerce.[45][46] In 2013, he was honored by the Las Vegas Business Academy during its second annual scholarship fundraising dinner. Up to that time, Lee and his wife had contributed more than $200,000 to local children's charities.[8] Lee received a Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence at the 45th UNLVino wine and food festival, held in 2019.[47][48][49]

Lee's life has been cited as an example of living the American Dream,[12][8] and he has praised the United States as a fair country and the best in the world. He said in 2007 that he had no desire to return to South Korea, and that he could not have built a large and successful business there as he did in the U.S.[7] He enjoyed golfing as a hobby.[7]

Illness and death

[edit]

Lee was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2020, and died on August 27, 2021, at the age of 79.[50][51] Son Kenny Lee took over as chief executive officer of Lee's Discount Liquor. He died in a car crash, three months later, at the age of 53. He had not been wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.[52][53] A toxicology report found his blood alcohol level to be nearly three times the legal limit.[54]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Hae Un Lee". Korean American History Museum. July 7, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  2. ^ Smith, Hubble (February 1, 2002). "Marketers in high spirits over new rum". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on May 22, 2002.
  3. ^ Wargo, Buck (June 5, 2016). "Bank betting on growth of Asian business". Las Vegas Business Press. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Smith, Hubble (August 13, 2011). "Lee's Liquor celebrates 30 years in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Question of the Day". Las Vegas Advisor. January 27, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (June 15, 2018). "Notable Las Vegans share memories with famous fathers". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Purchase of bottle of Scotch led Korean immigrant to start business". Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 16, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d Huffey, Dorothy (October 27, 2013). "Liquor company chief honored at scholarship fundraiser". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d Simich, Jerry L.; Wright, Thomas C. (2010). More Peoples of Las Vegas: One City, Many Faces. University of Nevada Press. ISBN 978-0-87417-818-0. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d Hernandez, Rocio (August 10, 2016). "How Lee's Liquor became a Las Vegas success story". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d Brown, Ben (September 2, 2016). "Lee's Discount Liquor Celebrates Its 35th Year in Las Vegas". The Las Vegas Food and Beverage Professional. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Immigrant in search of the American dream". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. October 31, 1996. Retrieved March 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b Miller, Valerie (December 23, 2004). "Wine seller". Las Vegas Business Press. Archived from the original on January 25, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  14. ^ Buhler, Brendan (May 1, 2006). "Liquor stores don't have much of a shot". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d "Lee's Discount Liquor Is A Vegas High-Roller". Market Watch. September 22, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  16. ^ Stephenson, Kathy (November 8, 2017). "Giant discount liquor store opens in West Wendover, giving Utah buyers another place to cross the border for cheap booze". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  17. ^ Edwards, John G. (January 26, 2003). "South Korean immigrant says secret to success is trying harder". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004.
  18. ^ Edwards, John G. (July 14, 2006). "Group plans bank to serve Asians; Organizing board official estimates 250,000 people of Asian descent live locally". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on July 19, 2006.
  19. ^ "Asian community bank to open in April, Initial share offering in progress". Las Vegas Business Press. February 19, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2020 – via NewsLibrary.
  20. ^ "Asian bank approved". Las Vegas Review-Journal. April 7, 2007. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "Bank catering to Asians opens". Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 28, 2007. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  22. ^ Edwards, John G. (November 4, 2008). "First Asian Bank dealt cease-and-desist order". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "University biomedical center expansion advances". Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 27, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  24. ^ "A new and quiet place to golf and gamble in Nevada: Mesquite". East Bay Times. February 3, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  25. ^ "Korea Town Plaza set to open in January in Spring Valley". Southwest View. December 30, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2020 – via NewsLibrary.
  26. ^ a b Joffe-Block, Jude (March 16, 2011). "Sensing Change: A Las Vegas Street Illustrates Story Of Rapid Asian Growth". KJZZ. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  27. ^ Edwards, John G. (October 15, 2009). "30,000-square-foot supermarket opens at Korea Town Plaza". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  28. ^ Begley, Jim (June 13, 2012). "I'll have the bulgogi pizza". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  29. ^ a b Spacek, Rachel (December 18, 2018). "Las Vegas-area Asian-American families needing food get help". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  30. ^ Wilburn, Mitchell (May 2012). "Woonam Jung at Korea Town Plaza". The Las Vegas Food and Beverage Professional. p. 28. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  31. ^ Begley, Jim (August 22, 2012). "Everybody Woonam Jung tonight: Korean barbecue awaits you". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  32. ^ a b "Lee's Korean B.B.Q." Las Vegas Woman Magazine. February 11, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  33. ^ Mihailovich, Steven (December 23, 2004). "'Strip'-ing away the good times". Las Vegas Business Press. Archived from the original on December 25, 2004. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  34. ^ a b Hall, Debbie (November 15, 2012). "Lee's Discount Liquor". Las Vegas Woman Magazine. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  35. ^ Myers, Laura (August 16, 2014). "High fashion, expense for Hillary travel". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  36. ^ Huffey, Dorothy (October 19, 2014). "Clinton highlight of UNLV Foundation dinner". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  37. ^ Geer Thevenot, Carri (May 28, 2015). "Las Vegan, 87, claims age discrimination in firing". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  38. ^ Chareunsy, Don (March 1, 2019). "UNLVino Celebrates 45 Years!!–April 11-13 Remembering a Groovy 1974 to Present Day". The Las Vegas Food and Beverage Professional. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  39. ^ Lempert-Schwarz, Gil (October 26, 2005). "Green Point Shiraz tastes more elegant than other Australian wines". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 1, 2006.
  40. ^ Duck, Allison (November 8, 2012). "Weekend best bets: Lee's Wine Experience, Project Dinner Table and Lewis Black". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  41. ^ "Beer events, Lee's Wine Experience and more stuff you need to know about". Las Vegas Weekly. November 10, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  42. ^ Gorman, Tom (May 9, 2011). "In marketing Las Vegas, have we sold our community short?". VegasInc. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  43. ^ De La Cruz, Kimberly (November 26, 2015). "More than 1,000 in Las Vegas gave thanks at Catholic Charity". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  44. ^ Lempert-Schwarz, Gil (November 13, 2002). "Wine has expensive taste at low price". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 1, 2005.
  45. ^ "Small-business recognition given". Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 14, 2005. Archived from the original on May 25, 2005.
  46. ^ Swafford, Michelle (May 16, 2005). "SBA honors entrepreneurs". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  47. ^ "Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence: Hae Eun Lee (Mr. Lee)". UNLVino. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  48. ^ Durano, Genevie (April 11, 2019). "Beloved food and wine festival UNLVino returns for its 45th year". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  49. ^ Mancini, Al (April 16, 2019). "UNLVino pops cork on wine, food festival's 45th year". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  50. ^ Newberg, Katelyn (August 28, 2021). "Lee's Discount Liquor founder Hae Un Lee dies at 79". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  51. ^ "Hae Un Lee, founder of Lee's Discount Liquor, dies at 79". KLAS-TV. August 28, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  52. ^ Torres-Cortez, Ricardo; Schnur, Sabrina (November 20, 2021). "Kenny Lee, owner of Lee's Discount Liquor, killed in crash". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  53. ^ Harrison, Casey (November 20, 2021). "Lee's Discount Liquor CEO Kenny Lee killed in car crash". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  54. ^ Schnur, Sabrina (December 6, 2022). "Kenny Lee's blood alcohol level nearly 3 times legal limit in fatal crash, report says". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
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