Our Founder
Lee King Yek
A STORY OF DREAMS
While most fourteen-year-old boys were playing and studying, Lee King Yek stowed away on a ship and found himself in the Philippines with only his diploma hidden beneath his shirt. He was a boy with big dreams. He first ended up in a bike store in Binondo, Manila where he worked as a helper. He was a stay-in boy and would be locked up together with goods inside the store until the next day. In that dark room, he used to pass the time by looking through a small opening and watching people outside. Later on, one of the customers named Mr. Poe, a Chinese businessman, introduced himself to the young Lee and brought him to Sorsogon to work.
A tale of thanksgiving
In Sorsogon, the young Lee found a new home and enjoyed a newfound freedom. He worked hard and engraved in his mind the gratitude he had for his mentor. Three years of hard work paid off when the Chinese Community in Sorsogon founded a school where he applied as a teacher at the age of 17. Lee King Yek got the job and kept it for 25 years. It was in this school that he grew and emerged as a respectable, well-loved man, not only by the school populace but by the locals as well. It was through his involvement in the academe that he met his wife, another Filipino teacher named Libertad Lee.
A Saga of Strength and Community
Lee King Yek wanted a bright future for his family. His entrepreneurial skills shone when he spearheaded a buy and sell business together with his school associate. Everything went well for four years but his trusting nature got the better of him and in an instant, the business he worked so hard for slipped through his fingers. His partner took away the business and all the resources, leaving him empty-handed. Despite this, Lee’s spirit remained strong. He had his wife and son to draw strength and hope from, and a combi-van to start a new venture with. The business-in-a-van paved the way for Goodluck Commercial in 1978. With a capital from Libertad of just P4,000, the venture flourished into the Goodluck Department Store, which later became the Goodluck Department Store and Supermarket.