I Respect Them, They Respect Me: Running the Pawn Shop on 20th Street

An interview with Mr. Ivan Wong, operator of Money Express Pawnshop on 20th Street. Mr. Wong was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Saskatoon in the 1990s. In this interview, Mr. Wong reflects on his experiences of being an immigrant in Canada. He shares detailed stories of his diverse interactions with 20th Street residents, and offers insights into his own perception of the relationship between himself as a Chinese immigrant and the First Nation people living in the area. Mr. Wong's experience during his ten years of employment at family-owned Money Express shop, located in what used to be known as Saskatoon's Chinatown, has enabled him to develop what he calls a mutual affinity with his First Nations customers. He attributes these customers' propensity for dealing with his pawnshop to the sense of mutual respect that exists between the business and the customers.