The article reflects on the significance of shopping centers in the San Gabriel Valley as cultural landmarks for Chinese American residents. Through nostalgic memories, the author shares experiences of childhood spent exploring vibrant strip malls like San Gabriel Square and Hilton Plaza. These centers provided essential services and fostered community ties among Asian Americans, creating unique ecosystems that reflect resilience and cultural identity. The shopping centers are not just places to shop, but serve as important reference points rich in history and communal connection.
My mother once chased an unruly grocery cart that held me in its front basket as it rolled through the parking lot of the Victorian-looking strip mall at the corner of San Gabriel Boulevard and New Avenue.
These strip malls were a way for residents to create a stronghold in their communities, with restaurants, markets and other businesses that catered to an Asian clientele.
There were countless days spent as a child under the care of my uncle and grandmother, who brought us along to three, sometimes four strip malls in a day to find the various ingredients needed for that evening's dinner.
Each center tells its own story, a gleaming display of resilience that often functions as its own ecosystem.
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