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Dennis Mong Is Back Downtown!* This Article was published in the North Bay Nugget, March 1st. 2003[scroll down or click topic of interest]
The local real estate broker returned to North Bay’s downtown – the place he spent his childhood, got his first jobs and developed into a successful businessman. “I feel comfortable going back downtown,” Mong says. “It's just like coming home! 
Mong is an associate broker with Century 21 Blue Sky Region Realty Inc. The company moved to 199 Main Street East earlier this year from its former location on Lakeshore Drive. The new office is situated where the old taxi company City Cab used to be based. As a child, Mong used to sit outside the taxi stand and listen to the two-way radios. First Car He also bought his first car a 1962 powder blue Mercury Comet at Palangio Motors, where Partner’s Billiards and Bowling is now located, and where Dennis now plays pool. Cruising downtown in your hotrod was a pastime back then. His Plymouth Road Runner with it's thrush mufflers and cheater slick tires was his pride and joy and time dragging with the Street Cleaners Club was an honour.
Fond Memories Mong has fond memories of nearly every corner and lot in the downtown, where he moved with his family at the age of seven. Memory lane was the variety of stores downtown, Scoops restaurant where the best fries were made; Hub's Cigar Shop the best for comic books; Rankins grocery store; Hollows meat market; Loblaws; Geneva Restaurant; Arcadian Grill; Hermans Furniture and Falconi Men's Wear; "The downtown has changed, less overhanging neon signs more offices than retail stores" 
Mong's Immigration Mong’s parents and sister immigrated to Canada from China in the early ‘50s. He remained in China with his grandmother, until his father, who was a squid agent in Newfoundland could raise enough money to send for him. Mong clearly remembers the trip he took alone from Communist China smuggled in a fishing boat to Hong Kong . A stewardess gave him a battery toy robot to play with and he recalls being mesmerized by the toy the entire journey. After a brief stay in Amos, Quebec, Mong’s family moved to North Bay and settled in the downtown. His father, Hubert and uncle, Ken, took over the Green Bar operated by "Scoop" Lalande then changed the name and made it into a Chinese Restaurant called the Golden City Grill at 169 Main Street East. Family Live Here The family lived in a two bedroom apartment above the restaurant and Mong’s stomping ground spanned the downtown. In addition to working at the restaurant for his parents, he shined shoes for five cents a pair on weekends in front of the Elba Lounge and the Continental Hotel – where the Zoo and Wylder’s is today. "Leaners" was the game in the old days, you would toss a penny against the wall and the closest or the one that was leaning on the wall takes all the pennies. 
He was a "Pin" boy He was a "pin boy" at the old bowling alley Capitol Bowling operated by Mel Edwards under the Capitol Centre after the bowling alley came Capitol Billiards operated by Barry and Blaine Bywater where he learn to play pool thus the love of the game. Working as an usher at Bay Theatre, where Hugo Crazy’s is now situated gave Dennis his first "real paying" at 25 cents an hour. His early school days started at Queen Victoria Public school also known as the Worthington Public school now the parking lot for the City Center. Mong was teased about his family name – Hong Ding Long literally translated as Bear Quiet Wolf. He returned from school with many a black eye. His father decided he would change his name and as the two watched the old television series, Dennis the Menace, they decided he would be called Dennis Mong. Family name changed The Family name Hong was changed to Mong partly because of the many Hongs that settled in North Bay to avoid confusion as well as when you pronouce Hong in a Cantonese dialect it sounds like Mong. After high school at Algonquin Composite School, Mong studied science at Western University in London, Ont. By the time he returned to North Bay with a bachelor of science three years later, Mong had had enough of school. He took a three-week night course in real estate and embarked on a new career. It took him awhile to find his first job, but North Bay real estate broker Don Austin would change Mong’s life. "Without him, I would not be in the real estate business." Mong says. "He’s the one who took me under his wing." 
Life Lesson Taught Austin was also one of three realtors who taught Mong a life lesson. Austin taught him the more you work something is bound to happen, hard work won’t hurt anyone. Within a year, Mong move onto his second realty job with Vic Holmes. Holmes taught Mong about ethics and discipline in the field. "Vic Holmes was a real gentleman, he always dress professionally, talks very diplomatically" After eight years with Holmes, Mong was offered an opportunity to buy shares in a third company – Kleimaker and Bruse Real Estate Limited. There, Tony Kleimaker and Sigi Bruse gave Mong an insight and knowledge into the world of new housing, subdivisions, condominiums, company sydications, and land developments. The three lessons are still fresh in Mong’s memory today and is part of his character. Dennis enjoys cooking But his life isn’t focused only on his career. Both cooking and computers have played an important role for Mong. He taught Oriental Cuisine at Canadore College as well as for the Nipissing School Board, using the tools and knowledge he learned as a youngster in his family’s restaurant upbringing. Today, he and his wife Kasey host occasiona dinner parties for which Mong serves as chef. He has allowed groups to auction off the dinners to raise money for various charities. It is not unusual for the winner to pay an excess of $1,000 for a dinner at the Mongs. 
In addition to cooking, Mong’s passion is computer technology. He is self-taught and co-developed with Carlos Carvahlos the first computer software in North Bay for real estate brokers. The Realty Office Management System was adopted by the North Bay Real Estate Board and used for many years. Mong has also served as president of the North Bay Real Estate Board as well as a Real Estate Instructor.
Good North Bay North Bay has been good to Mong and his family, and they’re proud to be members of this community. "North Bay is my home, I love the people they are friendly, and I think that I almost know everyone!" “It’s not too big and not too small,” laughs Mong’s wife, Kathleen (Kasey.) Dennis' Children While Mong’s life has been filled with professional success, he is most proud of his two children both born and raised in North Bay, Christopher and Jennifer from his first wife. Christopher is now back working in North Bay, while Jennifer is in Mississaga working for the Federal Government. 
"You know that you have done a good job when the siblings of the people you have sold houses in the pass are coming to me to buy their first home!" |
![[ photo taken before Dennis came to Canada 1955 ]](images/babymong.jpg)