Stand Tall, Shop Small for OKC: Asian District serving up more than just pho

Photo credit: @by.regan

The area now known as the Asian District has transformed itself over the last 50 years into a vibrant and welcoming community of small businesses eager to serve visitors for generations to come.

Business owners from Vietnamese, Laotian, Korean, Cambodian, Japanese and even Hispanic or Latin descent dot this unique district located between NW 23rd and NW 36th streets along Classen Boulevard. From restaurants and hair salons to supermarkets and insurance companies, the Asian District is a community primed to successfully exit the pandemic by offering the residents of Oklahoma City a unique dining and shopping experience that is unrivaled in OKC.

In an odd sort of way, the Asian District may not have ever happened if it were not for the Vietnam War when thousands of Vietnamese refugees fled to the United States in the mid-70s following the fall of Saigon. Seeking freedom and a safe place to raise their families, many of these refugees ended up in a refugee camp at Fort Chaffee, Ark. With its proximity to Ft. Chaffee, Oklahoma City became a preferred destination for hundreds of Vietnamese refugees looking for a new start.

Ba Luong was three years old when he and his family arrived in Oklahoma City in 1979 after Luong’s father purchased the Super Cao Nguyen supermarket from the store’s previous owners who was retiring. Luong’s family had spent the previous year in Washington D.C., arriving in our nation’s capital as refugees on July 4.

“As the U.S. was celebrating its independence, we were too,” Luong proudly stated.

More than 40 years later, Super Cao Nguyen continues to provide Oklahoma City residents with an assortment of not only Asian food products but also food from 60 different countries such as farm-raised salmon from New Zealand that you typically find only in high-end restaurants.

Learn more about the 'Stand Tall, Shop Small for OKC' campaign and get shareable social media assets

“The Asian District is one of the very few places in Oklahoma where you can come and taste foods from all over the world without ever having to travel outside of the city limits,” said Luong, noting the many authentic foods found in the district, including a man who makes his own dumplings from scratch every day.

Luong readily understands the important roles these small businesses and restaurants play not only within the Asian District but also the entire Oklahoma City area. He strongly supports the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s “Stand Tall, Shop Small for OKC” campaign that encourages Oklahoma City residents to take pride in their community and rally together to help OKC small businesses re-emerge out of the pandemic.

“The pandemic really decimated a lot of these small businesses. When businesses like that fail, the city gets choked off of the ability to upgrade the city and keep the city up to a first-class standard,” Luong said. “And so it is important for all of us to be partners and to really come together and make sure we are supporting these small businesses because they are the lifeblood of a community and employ people within the community.”

No one knows that more than Thuan (pronounced “Tune”) Nguyen, the president and founder of the Asian District Cultural Association. He said the organization was formed after a general obligation bond issue was passed in 2007 that paved the way for streetscape improvements all up and down Classen Boulevard, including new signage that welcomes visitors into the district.

The aim of the Asian District Cultural Association is to promote and preserve the diverse culture of Oklahoma City’s Asian District and to spur economic development and growth in the community. They accomplish this through various activities, events, beautification projects, and education and outreach.

Learn more about the 'Stand Tall, Shop Small for OKC' campaign and get shareable social media assets

One event that should be on everyone’s “to-do” list is the annual Asian Night Market Festival that is scheduled for August 28 from 2 to 10 p.m. The festival is designed to promote the various cultures and traditions found in Asia. And, according to the association’s website, the festival will feature food vendors, cultural demonstrations, a fashion show, live music, an eating competition and much more.

“Hopefully, through this experience, we bring our communities together,” Nguyen said.

Like his fellow businessman Ba Luong, Thuan Nguyen agrees that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on small businesses across the city and within the Asian District itself. He encourages people, and those visiting the city, to come in and experience their unique culture and Asian cuisines.

“We want the Asian District to be a tourist destination where people will want to come and visit,” Nguyen said. “Besides just the culinary, we want to have a placemaking spot for them that will keep them here longer, to interact and understand not only the history but actually make it more interactive for people, and make it a more enjoyable experience so they will be wanting to come back to Oklahoma City.”

To learn more about the Asian District, including upcoming events and what restaurants and other small businesses call the district home, please visit asiandistrictok.com.