Oral history interview with Gregory T. H. Lee conducted by Stefani Evans, Ayrton Yamaguchi, Cecilia Winchell, and Kristel Marie Peralta on December 1, 2020 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Gregory discusses his birth in Honolulu, Hawai'i, his upbringing in San Francisco, California, his education from Harvard University, and his moving to Las Vegas in 1988 with his family. He shares how his parents, Doris Shoong Lee and Ted Lee, purchased a casino on East Sahara Avenue and renamed it the Eureka before Gregory left Las Vegas to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from USC Gould School of Law. He talks about his employment history related to law and the joint venture with his parents to open Eureka's sister property in Mesquite, Nevada. Gregory also discusses his Chinese and Japanese heritage, the Hawaiian culture, and his current affairs as well as his take on current events and discrimination in the United States, with particular regard to Black Lives Matter and COVID-19. Subjects discussed include: Kyushu, Japan and "China virus."
Oral history interview with Dana Su Lee conducted by Stefani Evans, Vanessa Concepcion, and Cecilia Winchell on February 10, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Dana talks about her childhood growing up in California and her parents who were both born in China. She discusses her educational background and her move to Las Vegas with her husband in 1997. Dana also shares her various community and philanthropic pursuits related to education and the arts. Subjects discussed include: Greg Lee; otherness; Nevada Women's Philanthropy (NWP)
The Beauty Bar sits at 517 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 517 Fremont St Sign owner: Darin Feinstein and Corey Harrison (From Pawn Stars) Sign details: Building originally constructed in 1988 for a retail store. The Beauty Bar franchise was founded in 2004 in New York City. The bar in Las Vegas used to be owned by Paul Devitt, but in 2014 is when Darin and Corey bought it and did some renovations. During the day they offer manicures/pedicures while serving cocktails, but at night function as a bar and concert venue with cool retro 1950s/60s salon style chairs and colors. Sign condition: 3-4 During the day the sign looks faded and rusted over. At night the light does not beam as if it is a new sign either. Sign form: Cabinet mounted to building Sign-specific description: On the building there is a white oval shaped plastic sign saying Beauty Bar. Right above the doors there is a Salon of Beauty in channeled white block type letters. Both signs illuminate pink. Sign - type of display: Neon and backlit sign Sign - media: Steel and plastic Sign - non-neon treatments: Backlit sign in plastic Sign environment: Located in the Fremont Street East District surrounded by other bars and restaurants. Sign - date of redesign/move: c. 2014 Sign - thematic influences: The bubbly pink backlit sign almost is the same shape as a painters pallet, so it shows an artsy theme since some consider doing hair and manicures as artwork as well Sign - artistic significance: The "Salon of beauty" letters each have their illumination contained due to the metal channeling for each letter. The sign does have a retro aspect with their sign not looking totally brand new which extenuates the theme of an old beauty salon that you would see in the 50s or 60s. Survey - research locations: Beauty Bar Website, accessor's office Survey - research notes: Paul Devitt, the previous owner, actually started the chain of Beauty Bars in New York in 1995. He still has a part in the ownership in the other location he opened in N.Y., L.A., San Francisco and Chicago. Surveyor: Emily Fellmer Survey - date completed: 2017-08-14 Sign keywords: Backlit; Plastic; Steel; Neon; Fascia; Cabinet; Building-front design