‘A point of pride:’ Asian District Mesa AZ offers food, shopping from different cultures
MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — Take a drive along Dobson Road between Main Street and Broadway Road, and you will see dozens of Asian businesses and restaurants, along with a couple of colorful red, green, and blue signs that say, “Mesa Asian District.”
This strip of road is the heart of the district in west Mesa. It includes many Asian cultures that visitors can learn about or even feel at home in.
The area became the Asian District Mesa AZ during a redevelopment project with the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development, which began in 2018.
Angie Herrera, Marketing and Communications Specialist with the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development, says their research showed a high population density within the Asian district, which had multiple Asian ethnicities. It also revealed that people from all around the state were coming to the Asian district at least once a month.
The department developed marketing strategies and signage that focused on the district’s three main parts: culture, community and commerce.
“It was really a point of pride for Mesa since we were really focusing on diversity and being open and not only for shoppers but for businesses as well,” said Herrera.
A logo was developed to tell the story of the diversity and unity within the Asian district. This logo is the tangram, a geometric puzzle piece historically known to represent all different ethnicities and cultures coming together.
The redevelopment was launched in 2020 during the pandemic and relaunched later that year with street signs, logos and utility wraps to spread awareness about Mesa’s Asian District. The light rail stop was also renamed the “Asian District.”
Along with signage, the city also updated its website, created promotional items, and had social media coverage, bringing attention to the Asian district.
The Asian District now has over 100 businesses that serve food and products from different cultures, such as Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and more. Along with the restaurants, there are grocery stores like MeKong Plaza and H-Mart.
Herrera says the Asian District Mesa AZ has been well-received by businesses and the community.
“We hear all the time that it reminds them of home, that that’s where they can go and they get the same smells, the same languages spoken or that same feeling that they get. That’s why they love the Asian district because they can go and have a piece of home and then go back and just really find it prideful within that area,” said Herrera.
She says larger cities like Detroit have contacted their department inquiring about the Asian District. Typically, cities have places that focus on one culture, like Chinatown; however, the spot in Mesa focuses on a variety of different Asian cultures all in one place.
The Asian District also holds events where Asian businesses can come together to share their products, and visitors can learn about the different cultures. These events include the Lunar New Year and Asian festivals that occur in the spring.
To learn more about the Asian District Mesa AZ, click/tap here.
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