Adventures in Food and Art are in Store
On Cleveland’s near East side, you will find a neighborhood based on a culture. Asiatown is an area roughly defined by the Innerbelt on its West side, St. Clair on its North edge, East 55th to the East and Payne Avenue on its Southern border. Within these boundaries is a world full of possibilities.
The history of the near east side of Cleveland has undergone much transformation over the years. Originally the area was a residential district located close to downtown Cleveland and convenient for people who worked there. As the city of Cleveland grew and needed space to spread out, the neighborhood began to turn into more of an industrial and warehouse hub in support of the businesses downtown. Over time much of that industry moved out of the city leaving available buildings for the next wave of activity.
While the neighborhood still houses a certain number of traditional homes and some industry, a group of people, considered the creative class, are moving back in, carving out live/work spaces from former factories and historic structures. These visionary individuals have developed a following of artists and people who appreciate their crafts and come to explore the significant number of galleries they have established in the neighborhood.
A considerable Asian community has put down roots here, with the largest sector being Chinese. Other Asian cultures represented are Thai, Korean and Vietnamese. These hard working family people have established what is now considered a district of restaurants and shops that not only satisfy their own tastes for the homeland, but are an economic draw as people come into AsiaTown looking for a culinary adventure.
Community events in AsiaTown that honor the culture include an annual Chinese New Year celebration in late January and in May a yearly Asian festival.
Must see:
ART: Morgan Art of Papermaking
ART: TAP Jewelry Design Studios