Peking Lounge opened in February 2003 and has been proudly serving the Vancouver community ever since. Located in Historic Chinatown, the owners Michael Bennett and Daniel Poulin have created a unique store where century old furniture is elegantly paired with the most contemporary of design. Peking Lounge is also your online Chinese furniture warehouse where you can experience and explore the China of yesteryear: when Beijing was Peking and the Emperor was known as the Son of Heaven.

Since our first trip to China we have been enthralled with the rich, cultural history of this country and its booming economic future. Beijing's many awe inspiring historic monuments, which lay in peaceful splendor through the city's core, are in sharp contrast to the mayhem of everyday modern life in this sprawling metropolis.

China embraced a Socialist market economy in the early 1990's and the city's urban landscape has changed dramatically since.

Western style commerce seems to clash with a cacophony of old world traditions. Throngs of commuters on bicycles battle with the ever-increasing myriad of automobiles. Curbside food vendors fry up traditional cuisine outside the neighborhood Western fast food outlet and glitzy glamour malls are quickly replacing the bustling “dirt markets”. It may seem as though Beijing’s glorious past is being blown away by one of the cities infamous Spring sand storms. However, much of old Peking can still be discovered through its fine art and by observing and appreciating the unique styles and craftsmanship of its antique furniture and collectibles.

Our first Chinese antique purchase was a fortuitous one. We purchased a two piece, carved bamboo paintbrush holder from the Qing Dynasty (pronounced “Ching”) from a woman who had a small shop across the street from the Kempinski Hotel (a five star hotel which would later become Daniel’s place of employment). We were impressed with the woman’s knowledge of the piece and her attention to detail: highlighting its unique colour, texture and history. We shared a few laughs and took a photograph of her. It has since became our favorite piece not only because it is a beautiful example of artisan culture of the late 1800’s but also because it was the beginning of a lasting friendship.

We returned to her shop five months later and were distressed to find the entire block had been demolished. We set out to find other antique shops within the city and were overjoyed to stumble upon her new shop in a small warehouse on the outskirts of Beijing (not bad in a city of over 12 million)! She was equally surprised and pleased to see us again and we began to converse. We learned that Li Yan was a friend of the General Manager of the Kempinski Hotel (a known antique enthusiast) and had, in fact, supplied the hotel with its antique furnishings. Our trust in her deepened and our relationship grew. We purchased a beautiful vermilion, red antique cabinet from Li Yan and various other pieces since.

Another fortunate find was Lucy Shao and her husband David. Lucy was Daniel’s assistant at the Health Club (Kempinski Hotel) and over the past few years, we formed a fun, friendly and respectful relationship with her and David. Lucy is now working for the American Embassy and has proven to be invaluable with her knowledge on how the Chinese people do business. Lucy and David are also Godsends in the art of translation and data finding. We are happy and grateful to have them so closely involved in Peking Lounge.

During Daniel’s stay in Beijing and our subsequent trips to this fascinating city, we have forged more than a business relationship with Li Yan, Lucy and David. We have nurtured important personal friendships. We are confident that this translates into a unique opportunity for you to purchase high quality antique Chinese furniture and home accessories.

As China’s economy expands and becomes more diversified so does our showroom at Peking Lounge. From a Classic 300 year old Altar table and hand carved architectural items salvaged from demolition sites to contemporary art and specially designed silks and linens which have become so popular that we have begun wholesaling them.

We hope that our web site enables you to experience the unique sensations of this captivating city (its sceneries, sounds and scents) as well as entices you to explore the possibilities of owning your own small piece of Chinese history.

Michael Bennett – Owner
Asia has always been my favorite traveling destination since living and working in Japan in the mid 80’s. So when the opportunity arose to co-own an import design showroom with Daniel I jumped at the opportunity.
Having worked in service, hospitality and design virtually my whole working life I was eager to apply past skills to our own venture. Now I truly feel blessed being able to work, travel and use my creativity every day while helping to educate and expose people to the beautiful craftsmanship and rich history of China.

Daniel Poulin – Owner
Peking Lounge was born out of my desire to have my own business while taking a 180 degree turn in my career. I had worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years, managing fitness clubs, teaching aerobics and doing some personal training when I got a job offer in China to manage a spa in a five star hotel. I jumped at the opportunity and fell in love with the culture and truly un-rivaled history of China. Getting into the Chinese furniture business allows me to share some of that culture and history with other Canadians. Once my contract ended, Michael and I saw the opportunity to use our savings to ship a first container to Vancouver. This was in early 2003… It is always a pleasure for me to go back to Beijing every year, visit the furniture dealers and get involved into the friendly bargaining war one has to put up for every single piece you see in our store. My two years in China taught me enough Mandarin to be able to get my point across and handle most daily requirements during our purchasing trips. It has helped us to avoid trouble on more than one occasion…. I have a strong belief in our products and an untouchable work ethic. This makes Peking Lounge stand way ahead of the competition by the quality of our pieces and the truly hands on approach that we have embraced since the very first day we opened our doors.