Doesn't Phoenix have a Chinatown? (Mesa, Chandler: hotel, house, resort)

[homlish560]

Noticing quite a few Asian people live here, so wondering why there's no Chinatown here. Or is there one that I'm not aware of?

I know about Chinese cultural center, but I'm talking about an actual section of town where you can find all-Asian resturants, groceries, and other stores.

[silverbear]

The classic Phoenix Chinatown was located the south end of Downtown. It was not preserved and vanished shortly after WWII when its residents began spreading out over the metropolitan area. The Sing High Chop Suey house is one of the few relics left from that era.

More recently, Dobson Road in Mesa and Chandler has become a sort of linear Chinatown. There are several strip malls at intersections like Southern & Dobson, Warner & Dobson, etc. in which most businesses are geared toward Chinese, Vietnamese, and other east Asian populations.

[Master Shake]

There is an authentic Asian grocery store called, "Lee Lee" on the corner of Warner & Dobson in Chandler. In the same complex is a very good Asian buffet with around 10 or so buffet tables and a small sushi station. The same restaurant also has a large BBQ area, which I believe is mostly for take-out. There are also a few other, somewhat authentic, Asian stores in this immediate area, such as Lee's Sandwiches.

Other than that, most Asian style restaurants (authentic & American-based) are scattered throughout the valley.

Luckily, there are no areas here similar to other "Chinatowns" where they sell cheap junk and so-called souvenirs.

[Valley Native]

I've also wondered why there isn't some kind of village or district for the Asian/Chinese community in Phoenix. The fact that a group of Chinese preservationists killed the W Hotel project downtown was maddening enough! Their reasons for their opposition, and the lawsuit that followed, were even more ridiculous: they claimed that any altering of the old Sun Merc building would destroy Phoenix's Chinese history.

If these preservationists are so concerned about their community, why don't they get busy and create a Chinatown for Phoenix?! I guess they would rather behave like typical NIMBYs: protest, fight, and sue, instead of doing anything constructive with their time!

[snowthedirtbub]

I have often wondered that too, there is Lee Lee's and that surrounding area, but it's not really a China town.

BTW if you do go to Lee Lee's get those bear things like teddy grams but they have chocolate inside of them, they are my favorite. DO NOT GET STRAWBERRY!

[MikeCaz]

There is the big Chinese Culture center on 48th St? Just south of the 202.

Regards,
Mike
Not really a China Town though.

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I've also wondered why there isn't some kind of village or district for the Asian/Chinese community in Phoenix. The fact that a group of Chinese preservationists killed the W Hotel project downtown was maddening enough! Their reasons for their opposition, and the lawsuit that followed, were even more ridiculous: they claimed that any altering of the old Sun Merc building would destroy Phoenix's Chinese history.

If these preservationists are so concerned about their community, why don't they get busy and create a Chinatown for Phoenix?! I guess they would rather behave like typical NIMBYs: protest, fight, and sue, instead of doing anything constructive with their time!

The Sun Merc building is one of the last vestiges of Phoenix's historic Chinatown. The preservationists you love to hate were trying to keep that heritage alive. I'm therefore puzzled by your logic. You want people to "get busy and create a Chinatown for Phoenix," but you resort to name-calling when they try to preserve the heritage of the city's original Chinatown.

[twiggy]

Most of the people around Lee Lee's are Korean not Chinese. That might be the reason. There are Korean businesses surrounding Lee's as well and a Korean News paper. Lee's is sort of a "world" market. Not a Chinese market. They do have 2 isles dedicated to Chinese products though. Japanese, Korean, vietnamese, they are all very different, with different languages, food and traditions.
Maybe we should promote a "Asian" town. Then everyone from Asia could participate.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by homlish560

Noticing quite a few Asian people live here, so wondering why there's no Chinatown here. Or is there one that I'm not aware of?

I know about Chinese cultural center, but I'm talking about an actual section of town where you can find all-Asian resturants, groceries, and other stores.

Which sounds like.... the Chinese Cultural Center on 44th st & 202. Have you ever been there? And you say that's not an "actual section of town"? What, so I'm only imagining that place exists? Think outside the box for a little-- not every city is built along the same urban configuration as San Francisco.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by silverbear

The Sun Merc building is one of the last vestiges of Phoenix's historic Chinatown. The preservationists you love to hate were trying to keep that heritage alive. I'm therefore puzzled by your logic. You want people to "get busy and create a Chinatown for Phoenix," but you resort to name-calling when they try to preserve the heritage of the city's original Chinatown.

Sun Merc is currently an old run down structure that isn't even being used for anything related to Asian/Chinese culture. If the preservationists were so adamant about saving the building, why aren't they doing something useful or constructive with it??? A beautiful 39 story hotel could have been built on the site ... and the Sun Merc building would have still been preserved under the proposal, only with additional floors on top.

The preservationists had to have their own way, so they started a lawsuit & won (unfortunately). So they got their way ... but what are they doing constructively to help or build up the Asian community? Where's Phoenix's Chinatown (besides the cultural center)? If they were truly concerned about preserving the old Sun Merc for Chinese heritage purposes, why don't they get busy and DO something with it ... and perhaps start constructing a Chinatown around it?