Hae Un Lee

Other ventures In 1992, Lee was the president of the local Korean Association, and he asked businessman James Yu to help operate it with him. In 2006, Lee helped organize plans for a new local bank, First Asian Bank, which would serve Asian entrepreneurs. Lee and Yu were among the board members for the bank, which opened in 2007. Lee's Tavern, a sports bar and steak house, opened in Mesquite during the same year.

When Lee moved to Las Vegas in 1980, there were only a few small Korean grocery stores and restaurants in the city. A Korean grocery store opened as the anchor tenant later that year, through a lease with Lee. Koreatown Plaza, located on 10 acres, has of space, including a 200-seat food court. The shopping center has been used as an event space for the Asian community.

Aside from Lee's Discount Liquor, Lee also owned another alcohol retailer, Strip Liquor, a higher-priced store located on the Las Vegas Strip with tourists as the target clientele.

Personal life and philanthropy Lee was married to Sun Ja Lee; the couple has three children and eight grandchildren.

In 2015, an 87-year-old, longtime employee of Lee filed an age discrimination lawsuit against him, alleging that he had continually mocked her old age before she was eventually demoted and later fired.

Lee was a well-known local philanthropist and had a nonprofit organization, Lee's Helping Hand, which assisted other organizations such as Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and Spread the Word. Lee's Beer & Tequila Experience and Lee's Wine Experience are annual fundraisers which raise money for Lee's Helping Hand, which would donate $100,000 every year to charities. Lee's Discount Liquor also helped other Asian businesses through the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, and by 2011 had donated more than $150,000 to local children's charities and other causes over the past decade. Lee also frequently donated money and turkeys to Catholic Charities USA for Thanksgiving meals.

Lee received several awards and honors. In 2013, he was honored by the Las Vegas Business Academy during its second annual scholarship fundraising dinner. Up to that time, Lee and his wife had contributed more than $200,000 to local children's charities. Lee received a Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence at the 45th UNLVino wine and food festival, held in 2019.

Lee's life has been cited as an example of living the American Dream, Son Kenny Lee took over as chief executive officer of Lee's Discount Liquor. He died in a car crash, three months later, at the age of 53. He had not been wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. A toxicology report found his blood alcohol level to be nearly three times the legal limit.