Jesse Chan Nightclub Taiwan

Overview

Jesse Chan’s nightclub/supper club in Taipei, Taiwan was his first major business venture after relocating from Manila in 1968. Operating from the late 1960s through the early 1970s, it combined daytime dining with nighttime entertainment, featuring live music, shows, and dancing until the early morning hours.

Business Model

Dual Function

Daytime (Restaurant):

• Regular dining establishment
• Betty could visit during daytime
• “Fun for her” according to sources
• Family-friendly atmosphere

Nighttime (Nightclub/Entertainment):

• Dancing
• Singing performances (mostly singing)
• Magic shows
• Professional entertainment
• Social venue for Taiwan’s expatriate and business community

Entertainment

Every Night Featured:

• Orchestra - live band
• MC (Master of Ceremonies) - hosted the shows
• Singing performances - primary entertainment
• Magic shows - variety acts
• Professional entertainers

Hours:

• Open until midnight or 1:00 AM
• Jesse would close up and go home every night
• Long working hours (daytime through 1 AM)

Jesse’s Vision

In His Own Words:

“Daytime is restaurant, nighttime you can dance or singing.”

Business Philosophy:

• Maximize use of same space (restaurant by day, club by night)
• Multiple revenue streams
• Social hub for community
• Leveraged Jesse’s social skills and dancing ability

Family Involvement

Jesse’s Role

• Owner and operator
• Worked late hours (until 1 AM closing)
• Social host and manager
• Closed up personally every night

Betty’s Role

• Could visit during daytime hours
• Less involvement than later bakery business
• Managing household while Jesse worked nights

Children’s Memories

• Family members remember the shows
• Rose likely visited (she was 8-13 years old during this period)
• Exposure to entertainment business
• Part of children’s Taiwan memories

Social Context

Uncle George’s Visits

• Uncle George (Betty’s brother) always wanted to see the nightclub shows when visiting
• Friend from Manila “Happy Dreamers” days
• Even though Jesse and George “always fight,” George still came to shows
• Maintaining Manila social connections in Taiwan

Taiwan Entertainment Scene (Late 1960s-Early 1970s)

Economic Boom:

• Taiwan’s “economic miracle” period
• Growing middle class with disposable income
• Entertainment venues flourishing
• International business community in Taipei

Cultural Mix:

• Chinese traditions
• Western influences
• Japanese cultural proximity
• Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs like Jesse

Why Nightclub First?

Jesse’s Strengths:

• Excellent dancer - “people would stop to watch him dance”
• Social personality - built networks easily
• Multilingual - could serve diverse clientele
• Experience - knew entertainment from Manila social scene

Low Barrier to Entry:

• Didn’t require technical knowledge (like construction)
• Leveraged personal skills
• Could start with capital from Eastern Textile share sale
• Friend who invited them to Taiwan may have been in related business

Transition to Real Estate

Timeline:

• Nightclub: Late 1960s-early 1970s
• Real estate: Became primary business mid-1970s onwards
• Likely operated nightclub for 3-5 years

Why Switch:

• Real estate more profitable long-term
• Less demanding hours (Jesse working until 1 AM unsustainable)
• Better for family life (four young children)
• Jesse discovered talent for real estate
• “Real estate is really simple. You just look at the land and you like it, you just buy it.”

Real estate became:

• Longest-lasting business
• Most successful financially
• Primary income source for funding children’s education

Legacy

First Entrepreneurial Success

• Proved Jesse could run own business (vs. being employee at Eastern Textile)
• Built confidence and capital
• Established Jesse in Taipei business community
• Foundation for later ventures

Family Sacrifice

• Jesse’s late hours meant Betty managed household alone
• Worked hard to establish family in new country
• Short-term sacrifice for long-term success

Rose’s Memory

Rose remembers the nightclub shows, showing impact on children’s memories of Taiwan years.

Cultural Bridge

The nightclub represented Jesse’s ability to bridge cultures:

• Chinese-Filipino owner
• Serving Taiwanese and expatriate clientele
• Western-style entertainment (orchestra, dancing)
• Asian business culture (relationship-building through entertainment)
• Multilingual operation (Jesse spoke 7 languages)

Research Questions

• Name of the nightclub?
• Exact location in Taipei?
• When exactly did it open? (1968 or 1969?)
• When did it close? (early or mid-1970s?)
• Who were the performers?
• How large was the venue?
• Did Jesse have partners or sole owner?
• Was friend who invited them to Taiwan involved?
• What happened to business when Jesse shifted to real estate?
• Did Jesse sell it or close it?
• Photos of the nightclub?
• Who was the typical clientele?
• How profitable was it?