people | wayland ng
The first time I visited Wayland’s Meat shop I was greeted with a hand-written sign on the window “Closed early for son’s graduation.” Then I saw them, Wayland and Sylvia, driving away in their van to attend their son’s high school graduation. My reaction was the opposite of dissatisfaction. As a matter of fact, it made me smile because I had a flashback of my parents, as they, too, ran a small grocery business and would close early for family events and emergencies.
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I shop for my meat almost exclusively at Wayland’s. I am a big believer of supporting small local businesses, but I am also a believer they have to be deserving of that support. In other words, they have to offer something I need and be as good or better than the big guy down the street.
What makes Wayland’s Meat special is their one-on-one interaction with their customers. If you are ever in their store, watch how they seem to know many of their customers’ names. See things that you hardly experience any longer, like how their visitors comfortably use the private gate through the shop to let themselves out the back exit. Watch people come to fetch their “secret stashes” hidden in the freezer, which Wayland personally saves for them. I’m lucky to be one of those people. They save raw pet food for me, knowing I have two giant dogs on the raw food diet, and he always ask me if I’m parked in front or out back, so he can hold the gate open for me. These experiences are the things that make ordinary neighborhoods special.
Interrogating Wayland:
Q. How long have you been at this location?
A. I have been here five years. But this was my Uncle’s butcher shop and I took over five years ago. My uncle and aunt ran this shop for 35 years. (You read it right. 35 years! And they’re still here!)
Q. How long have you been in this profession?
A. I’ve been doing this for 25 years.
Q. What makes your shop special? Why should I shop here?
A. I would like to pride myself with being in touch with people’s lives. I really enjoy the one-on-one interaction. I feel we are all one community, and we all have something to share or give to another. I like talking to people. I think it’s hard to get that closeness between businesses and customers today.
Q. What do you like about the Dimond shopping area or Dimond in general?
A. I think the people here are really great. They’re very friendly. I feel like I’m friends with so many of my customers.
Q. If I were to grant you one wish to change something about this shopping area, which wish would you pick?
A. I think more variety of shops would be good. If we have more different types of shops, maybe more people will come and walk around.
Q. Now to more personal stuff. What generation are you?
A. My parents were immigrants, and I was born here. First generation.
Q. How many kids do you and Sylvia have?
A. Four boys! Youngest is 10 and oldest is 18.
Q. What do you want them to be when they grow up? (I ask this because it is a dominant Asian cultural characteristic. And I was personally curious if he had the same desires as so many other Asian parents do.)
A. I want them to be able to choose whatever career they want to do.
Q. Really? You don’t want one to be a doctor? And another a lawyer?
A. I would be happy if one became a doctor or lawyer. But I would also be happy if he is an artist. I think they should do what makes them happy.
Q. Wayland, what are your three most important values? The personal values that help you function everyday. The values that you would like to see in other people?
A. (After a bit of thinking, evaluating, rethinking) Independence. I like that I run my own business and not have a boss. (Laughs at this.) Creative thinking. I like ideas. Different ideas from different people. I like thinking of new things. Honesty. I think it’s really important for people to be able to trust one another. I like people who are honest. You don’t have to worry about anything when you are around those people.
Wayland Meat Shop is on Fruitvale Avenue between MacArthur and 580 freeway entrance (Across the street from Farmer Joe’s). Their offering includes a good selection of free range meats.
3421 Fruitvale Avenue
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 530-3344
Mon - Sat 10am-6pm
Sunday Closed
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