An Interview with Harvey Lin from Marathon Café

Harvey Lin from Marathon Café in Agincourt discusses his café’s transnational significance, legacy, and how it’s operators and culture has changed over time.

Full Transcript

HL: So when this plaza first open, right? So this was actually a Western donut shop…it was owned by like it is Greek couple. That’s why they called it Marathon.

HL: So the last owner uses the name and they do the Chinese translation to it.

PK: So the Greek place was also called Marathon?

HL: Yes it was called Marathon Donuts and Coffee. That’s why it’s called Marathon Donuts and Coffee…

PK: That is a really cool story, how the neigbourhood has changed but the space…

HL: Yeah when she take it over, she kept the name, right?

PK: Can I hear what the Chinese or Cantonese translation is?

HL: It’s called Ma Lik Hung. It just sounds like sort of sounds like marathon in Chinese.

PK: So it’s just the sound? Is the meaning the same or different?

HL: No, no, no. They actually spell it differently in Cantonese, but she do it differently so it sounds like it [Marathon].