Best Dim Sum in Chinatown, Manhattan

 

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The Chinatown in Manhattan is not the only one in NYC. However, it is considered the most famous. This Chinatown is full of great Dim Sum restaurants just waiting to be tried, including:

Nom Wah Tea Parlor ($$)

This famous institution has been around since 1920. Famous for its almond cookies and red bean fillings, this restaurant is both delicious and popular, with lines of hungry customers often stretching around the block. This restaurant is so famous that several movies and shows have been filmed here, including Premium Rush and several episodes of Law and Order.

House of Joy ($$)

One of the best Dim Sum restaurants in Chinatown, House of Joy is located on Chinatown’s historic Pell Street. They consider Dim Sum to be a form of art, and have been practicing that art since they first opened in 1989. The best part about this place is that it can be a major entertainment venue. It’s capable of holding 500 people and even has karaoke rooms.

Dim Sum Go Go ($)

This newer Dim Sum restaurant has become so popular that they are opening a new location in the East Village. They have received a ton of accolades from both Zagat and the Michelin Guide for their phenomenal food. Some of the best dishes found here include shrimp rice rolls, vegetarian spring rolls, and even entire platters of Dim Sum goodies.

Shanghai 21 ($$)

Though this restaurant serves more than just Dim Sum, their small plates are what put them on the map. Their menu has a ton of options like black truffle soup dumplings, sweet red bean pancakes, and sesame rice balls. This Zagat-rated establishment also has a wide delivery range, so almost anyone in the borough can enjoy their stuff.

Ping’s ($$)

Filled with delicious and beautiful looking food, Ping’s has been feeding NYC since 1998. A bit more upscale, and known for their seafood options, this restaurant is one of the most popular in Chinatown. Some of their best dishes can be found on their prix fixe menu, which includes baked squid, beef short ribs, and pork dumplings.

Best Dim Sum in Flushing, Queens

 

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The largest Chinatown in NYC, Flushing, Queens, has Dim Sum restaurants that are famous all over the world, and have even sprouted chains. Some of the best include:

Joe’s Shanghai Restaurant ($$)

This Flushing establishment was opened in 1994, and was so popular that they opened a second location in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Easily one of the best Dim Sum restaurants in Flushing, this place specializes in soup dumplings. For those who aren’t in a soup dumpling mood, they have an enormous menu with something special for everyone.

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao ($$)

This establishment claims to have the best soup dumplings in NYC, and they just might be right. Featured in the Michelin Guide for nine years in a row, it’s easy to see why people love this place so much. Opened in 2006, their crab and pork soup dumplings put them on the map, and receive rave reviews from everyone who visits.

Asian Jewels ($$)

This enormous restaurant has been listed in the Michelin Guide multiple times, receiving praise as “arguably the best dim sum in Flushing.” This high praise comes from fresh ingredients, delicious recipes, and loyal customers who make this restaurant a regular part of their week. It’s truly something special. 

Shanghai You Garden ($$)

Opened in 2016, this newer establishment has been making waves in Flushing’s Chinatown. They specialize in soup dumplings – in fact, they’re what shot this establishment into fame – but they have a huge menu of options that everyone will enjoy. Some of their best include their soup filled bun with crab meat and their pan fried pork buns.

39 Kings ($)

Hailed as one of the only authentic Chinese restaurants open till 1am, this restaurant is great for late night snackers looking for a delicious, affordable bite. The staff is no nonsense, so know what you want before you go and make sure to bring some cash with you. This establishment is a special little hole in the wall with some tasty treats.

Best Dim Sum Outside of Flushing and Chinatown

 

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Tim Ho Wan ($$)

The cheapest Michelin star restaurant in the world, this amazing establishment is located in the East Village and Hell’s Kitchen. Part of a larger chain that was started in Hong Kong, This restaurant has Dim Sum classics like steamed shrimp dumplings, baked pork buns, and pan fried chicken dumplings.

Dim Sum Palace ($$)

With several locations in Midtown and Chelsea, this restaurant has taken NYC by storm. Known for their soup dumplings, this restaurant is spacious, friendly, and uses the freshest ingredients to make meals that will fill your stomach and warm your heart. They even have an extensive breakfast Dim Sum menu, making this a great way to start your day.

AweSum DimSum ($)

With two locations in Gramercy Park and Times Square, and incredibly affordable prices, it’s no wonder why people love this place. With separate menus for steamed items, fried items, baked items, and tea, there’s a ton of foods to choose from. The minimalist atmosphere is subtle, yet stylish, and enhances the experience of eating here.

Excellent Dumpling House ($$)

The name might be a little on the nose, but they have the food to back it up. Ranked No.1 Dim Sum by Zagat and the New York Times this year, this establishment might be one of the best restaurants in NYC. This Chelsea establishment has a huge menu of favorites including fried pork dumplings, hot and spicy wontons, and even a Peking duck spring roll.

NYC has a ton of great Chinese restaurants, and the ones that specialize in or service Dim Sum are always amazing for dine-in, takeout, or delivery. These establishments have a great atmosphere, use the freshest ingredients available, and always cook their buns, dumplings, and wontons to perfection. Anyone looking for small plates but big flavor should visit one of these amazing eateries. These places are famous for a reason. Zagat, Michelin, and a ton of other experts all agree that these Dim Sum places are some of the best in the world.

The post The 14 Best Dim Sum Restaurants in NYC Right Now appeared first on CitySignal.

Last month, in celebration of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund announcement the week prior, CitySignal went on a walking tour of Chinatown to see, firsthand, some of the businesses receiving money from the grant. It was a crisp winter morning, but the biting cold did not distract from the warm feeling that accompanied the event. Led by the engaging and energetic Anna Huang of the Mott Street Girls, the tour blended history and current events to shed light on Chinatown and its residents. 

The morning began on Doyers Street, where tour attendees, members of the press, and delegates from Citizens Bank and Renaissance Economic Development Corporation gathered for opening remarks. Sara Tang, Citizens Business Banking Relationship Manager, reiterated Citizens’ pledge to be part of the communities in which their banks operate. The goal of the walking tour was to “celebrate the small business owners,” all of whom require community support to not only keep growing, but also remain in operation. The pandemic hit neighborhoods such as Chinatown the hardest, and recovery is a slow but steady process. The best aid is awareness of and engagement with local businesses. 

Manhattan Chinatown, home to the highest concentration of Chinese people in the United States, is considered a cultural hub for the Chinese diaspora. It’s been a haven to immigrants since the 1800s, and is a place steeped in tradition and rich with stories. As such, it was only fitting that the tour began with a bit of history about one of the streets on which many of these businesses operate.

Doyers Street

With its brightly painted cobblestones, unique curvature, and pedestrian accessibility, Doyers Street is easily one of the most recognizable roads in Chinatown. It’s also one of the oldest, joined by Pell Street and Mott Street. According to Huang, the unique angle can be attributed to the age of the alley; built before 1811, Doyers was exempt from the implementation of the New York City grid system. Like much of the Lower East Side, Doyers Street is an anomaly from most of neat and narrow New York. 

In the early 1900s, Doyers Street earned a unique (and violent) moniker: the bloody angle. The intersection’s proximity to the infamous Five Points neighborhood, combined with excessive gang activity, made it a hot spot for less-than-pleasant meetups. Gangs nicknamed it “the bloody angle” as the curved street created blind spots and a prime opportunity to ambush an opponent.  

Today, however, Doyers is known more for its many businesses and beauty salons, and is occasionally called “barber shop alley.” It is a hotspot for restaurants and bars, home to Dim Sum parlor Nom Wah, speakeasy Apotheke, and Chinese Tuxedo, a two-story restaurant located in a former opera house. 

It’s also the location of one of the recipients of the Citizens Renewal Fund: the New China Beauty Salon. 

New China Beauty Salon

Opened in 2014 by Jiang Feng Ming, the New China Beauty Salon offers haircuts for men and women. It is a favorite for locals, who appreciate the salon’s prices, far lower than those of nearby SoHo. A haircut at New China Beauty Salon is between $10 and $12. The salon is open seven days a week, from 9:00am – 6:00 pm, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday, when it’s open until 6:30pm. 

To support the business – and to get an inexpensive but worthwhile haircut, head over to 15 Doyers Street. 

Pell Street 

Next up, the tour visited Pell Street – another one of Chinatown’s most historic lanes. Pell Street today — bustling lantern-lit hub for businesses and tourists — is unrecognizable from how it looked 100 years ago, when it boasted cobblestone streets and an above ground subway. 

There is one more significant difference from the old days of Pell Street: it used to be all men. 

In the late 1800s, Chinatown earned a reputation as a “bachelor society” due to a discriminatory law – the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which curbed Chinese immigration and effectively banned most Chinese women and children from entering the United States. As a result, the patrons of Chinatown were almost exclusively male during the late 1800s and early 1900s. At one point, according to Huang, the ratio of men to women in Chinatown was 700 to 1. Many even lived in what were called ‘Bachelor’s Apartments.’

This unique set-up had two strangers sharing not only an apartment, but also a bed. Two separate sleeping shifts allowed the workers to save money on rent, which was beneficial as most of the men were sending money back home to their wives and children. 

In 1943, the act was repealed. Women and children populated Chinatown, and the Bachelor Society was no more. 

Pell Street today is notable for the instagrammable lanterns lighting up the street and its excellent restaurants, such as the Vegetarian Dim Sum House. 

Vegetarian Dim Sum House

Located at 24 Pell Street, the Vegetarian Dim Sum House is another recipient of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund. Opened in 1986, the restaurant was the first vegetarian / vegan Dim Sum house to open in Chinatown. Especially for purposes of tourism, noted Huang, having a vegetarian option is huge, as it expands the options for non-meat-eating visitors. Vegetarian Dim Sum House is lauded for its turnip cake made of daikon radish, and its rice flour rolls made with deep fried dough in the middle. The restaurant closed for six months during the pandemic, but has since resumed operations, despite increased operating costs due to inflation. 

Vegetarian Dim Sum House is open seven days a week, from 10:30am – 9:00pm. 

As the tour made its way down Pell Street, Huang pointed out an interesting sight: a Pegasus decoration hanging amongst the lanterns. According to Huang, the Pegasus is composed of “dried egg noodles” and covered in polyurethane to withstand the cold temperatures. Though the impetus for the Pegasus on Pell is unclear, the tour did learn some context about the lanterns surrounding it. 

Light Up Chinatown 

Strung up on various streets throughout Chinatown, it’s hard to imagine a time when these beloved lanterns were not part of the neighborhood. Shockingly, however, that moment was not long ago. The lanterns landed in late December of 2020 as part of Light Up Chinatown, a grass-roots initiative devised during the dark days of the pandemic when the streets of Chinatown were empty and desolate. Created by local resident Patrick Mock, Light Up Chinatown is a volunteer, donation-based initiative that works to brighten up the neighborhood. 

With lanterns donated by longtime Chinese-American department store Pearl River Mart and hung by volunteers, the lanterns made Chinatown an “instagrammable spot” overnight, and have since cemented a lasting place in the community. The long-term goal of the initiative is to light every street in the neighborhood. A GoFundMe can be found here to make a donation; $50 purchases one individual lantern. 

After a moment taking in the magic, the tour made its way past the lantern-adorned Mott Street and soon reached its next stop. 

Audrey Bakery and Cafe

Opened in 2017, Audrey Bakery and Cafe, located at 12 Chatham Square, is another staple of Chinatown. The traditional Chinese bakery offers all kinds of decadent treats, ranging from buns to specialty sweets to savory snacks. For those looking to celebrate a special occasion, the cakes Audrey Bakery and Cafe might be especially enticing; beautifully decorated, artfully made, and delicious to the taste. 

A gift from Citizens allowed the tour group to take a pit stop and sample some of the desserts and hot drinks offered by Audrey Bakery and Cafe. It was a welcome respite from the cold, and an even better excuse to get to know, first-hand, one of the small business recipients of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund. 

Lady Chow Kitchen

Next stop was Lady Chow Kitchen, located at 171 Hester Street. The restaurant offers contemporary Chinese dishes and authentic Cantonese food. According to their website, Lady Chow Kitchen is notable for its “Chen Cun Fen,” which consists of Chen Cun rice noodles measuring between 0.5 and 0.7 millimeters thick. Also known as Dan noodles, this variety was created in 1927 by Huang Dan, a local from Chen Cun town, an area located in Foshan’s Shunde district. Pliant and tender, the thin noodles soak up the juices of whatever they’re cooked in, making each bite a particularly savory one.

Lady Chow Kitchen is open seven days a week, from 8:30am – 9:00pm. 

After taking in the smells and sights of Lady Chow Kitchen, the tour headed past Canal Street, to the newer part of the neighborhood. The group walked through what is colloquially called the Mott Street fruit market – a combination of street and store vendors –  where local residents shopped for groceries and goods. Each marketplace offered a plethora of delectable options, ranging from durian fruit to fresh fish to specialized spices. 

Golden Steamer

Located amid the hubbub of the Mott Street market is Golden Steamer, a restaurant renowned by locals for its bao. Opened in 2009, the business sells buns that are good for any occasion: a seasonal pumpkin bao for snack, a salted egg yolk bun for breakfast, or a pork bao for lunch. Located at 143-A Mott Street, Golden Steamer is another proud recipient of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund grant. 

Golden Steamer is open seven days a week, from 7:00am – 7:00pm. 

Double Crispy Bakery

Around the corner from Golden Steamer is another staple of the neighborhood: the Double Crispy Bakery, located at 230 Grand Street. Opened five years ago by husband and wife, the bakery offers some of the best tarts, treats, and tastes in town. They’re notable for Macau Egg Tarts, a Portuguese variety of egg tart that is renowned by locals and tourists alike. The tour stopped at the bakery, and many (writer included) sampled the tarts for themselves. Made of a puff pastry and with a caramelized top, the tarts are warm, sweet, fully, and well worth the hype. 

Double Crispy Bakery is open seven days a week, from 7:00am – 7:00pm. 

High Cut Beauty Salon

Last on the tour was the High Cut Beauty Salon, located at 83 Elizabeth Street. The salon, which has been in operation for over 15 years, offers premium haircuts for men and women at inexpensive prices. With massage chairs located in the back, patrons can get both a makeover and a massage in one visit! 

For small businesses to succeed, they need community and tourist support. In Chinatown, the sentiment is clear: local entrepreneurs are fighting to survive, and they can only do so with grants like the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund and through word-of-mouth – a method which relies on events such as the walking tour. 

Mott Street Girls, too, is a small business. Founded by Anna Huang and her business partner Chloe Chan, the organization offers in-depth history, food, and occasional ~special edition~ tours of Chinatown. Like the businesses they’re showcasing, the walking tours are personal, professional, and full of heart. 

To learn more about the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund and see the full list of the businesses awarded, visit this link. And to visit them in person, simply hop on a train, bike, bus, cab, or walk on over to Chinatown to support these wonderful businesses! 

The post NYC Chinatown’s Small Businesses To Support appeared first on CitySignal.

On December 7th, 2022, eight months after the initial announcement, Citizens and LISC NY gathered community members and press once again. This time, it was to announce the 22 minority-owned small business recipients of the “Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund.”

Details of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund

More than 115 small business owners applied for the grant, which was made accessible to all via a sweepstakes lottery.

In order to apply, minority-owned businesses were required to have a storefront location within the boundaries of Chinatown, a current active lease with a minimum 3-year term remaining, have operated in Chinatown for a minimum of 1-year, and to show a maximum of $500,000 in sales on the most recent tax return. Business owners also were required to provide a photo ID.

All finalists received hands-on, in-person technical support from Renaissance Economic Development Corporation (EDC) staff to submit their application materials. This outreach was essential, as it helped get the resources to those who need it most, and might not know how to access them. In Renaissance, the Renewal Fund had a community-based partner who could help get the word out.

Of the businesses that applied, 75% were run by immigrants who speak limited English. 22 businesses were selected as grant recipients, 17 of which were owned by low-income individuals. At $10,000 each, these grants will help retain an average of four full-time employees, with 88 jobs held by minority, immigrant, and/or low- and moderate- income community residents.

“Entrepreneurship is a key path to closing the racial wealth gap…” said Valerie White, Senior Executive Director of LISC NY “…these meaningful grants will help ensure the stability and long-term vitality of deserving small businesses.”

Continuation of Chinatown Nights

Chinatown Nights was launched in the summer of 2021 by Think!Chinatown, a not-for-profit, place-based organization dedicated to Manhattan Chinatown, working at the intersection of storytelling, arts, and neighborhood engagement.Think!Chinatown conceived Chinatown Nights as a solution for the struggling community, which had been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In its first year, the initiative’s goal was to enliven the community, drive business, and make the streets feel safer at night – residents had reported a fear of being out after dark because no one else was.

In its second year, Chinatown Nights found a sponsor in Citizens. The sponsorship enabled the event to expand into the Chinatown Night Market, located at Forsyth Plaza. Designed to provide support to small micro-immigrant / AAPI owned businesses, the event has quickly proved to offer that and beyond, turning an empty plaza into a culturally relevant space where the community can come together.

According to Amy Chin, President of the Board of Think!Chinatown, the Night Market – fueled by “volunteers, donations, and good will” –  brought thousands of people into the neighborhood. The Night Market has closed for the season, but it’s not the end of the event: Citizens has re-upped their sponsorship for the next year. The next season of Chinatown Nights will start in May 2023.

When asked what Citizens’ metric for success of the market was, Citizens Bank Vice President of Partnerships & Programs Amie Kershaw said, “I went to the night market in July and it was wall-to-wall people. It was the definition of a community event.” Seeing the positive impact on Chinatown was all she, and Citizens, needed to determine it a meaningful investment. “This is where we want to be, bringing everyone together. That, from a Citizens perspective, is how we want to show up as a community.”

 

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Chinatown Renewal Fund Grant Recipients

With some winners in attendance, the press conference closed with the announcement of the 22 recipients of the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund. As the list was read, the joy in the room was palpable, a celebration of community, culture, and hope.

The businesses receiving grants cover every industry, from food to retail to personal care services. The full list can be found at the bottom of this article.

Betty Chung, the owner of Simple Eldridge Inc. (109 Eldridge St.), spoke on the significance of these grants. For many small businesses that missed out on PPP loans due to language barriers and the sheer amount of work required, no-strings-attached grants such as these are not only unheard of, but also life changing. Simple Eldridge plans to pay it forward and use the boost as a way to give back to the community.

According to Chung, the pandemic has made it hard to hire chefs. “People have switched jobs or left Manhattan and they’re reluctant to take the subway, so businesses are closing because they don’t have staff.” Simple Eldridge looks to provide a solution through their bottled sauces, which can be sold to restaurant owners and eliminate some heavy lifting usually required in a kitchen. The sauces are “easy to use and versatile,” allowing restaurants to “control consistency and quality of food.”

For both business owners and community members, this money is empowering. In line with Citizens’ approach to the Chinatown Night Market, the primary goal of the grants is to help businesses with no strings attached.

The best way to support the recipients of these grants is to visit and support the businesses. Go enjoy some excellent food, try a delicious delicacy from a bakery, get some laundry or printing done in the neighborhood.

List of Grant Recipients for the Chinatown Renewal Fund

28 Ming’s Caffe

• Address: 28 Canal St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 6-9 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

28 Vegetarian Dim Sum Restaurant Inc.

• Address: 24 Pell St #1, New York, 10013
• Opened: 10-15 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

46 Mott Street Bakery

• Address: 46 Mott St, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

American Kimberly International Group

• Address: 28 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 6-9 years
• Business Type: Personal care services (including salons)

Audrey Bakery & Café II Inc

• Address: 12 Chatham Square, New York, NY 10038
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

AvantGarde Fusion

• Address: 167 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

• Opened: Opened 1-2 years

• Business Type: Clothing / Apparel Store

Café Round K

• Address: 78 Canal St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 1-2 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

City Street Bakery Corp

• Address: 85A Bayard Street, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 6-9 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

Double Crispy Bakery 1

• Address: 230 Grand St, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

ESK Laundromat Inc.

• Address: 209 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 6-9 years
• Business Type: Dry cleaning and laundry services

Golden Day Business Inc.

• Address: 90 Bowery St, New York, NY 10013

• Opened: 1-2 years
• Business Type: Legal Services

Golden Steamer Inc.

• Address: 143A Mott St, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 10-15 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

High Cut Beauty Salon

• Address: 83 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 15 years or more
• Business Type: Personal care services (including salons)

Jin’s Printing

• Address: 114 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: other

King Jade Garden Inc.

• Address: 141 E 55th St, New York, NY 10022
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

Ludlow Laundry Inc.

• Address: 67 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Dry cleaning and laundry services

Madison Supreme Laundromat

• Address: 80 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Dry cleaning and laundry services

Make It One Inc.

• Address: 150 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

New Cameron Bakery

• Address: 242 Canal St, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

New China Beauty Salon Inc.

• Address: 15 Doyers St # C, New York, NY 10013
• Opened: 6-9 years
• Business Type: Other

Simple Eldridge Inc.

• Address: 109 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 6-9 years
• Business Type: Restaurant or Other Eating Place

YongFeng Chen

• Address: 118A Madison St, New York, NY 10002
• Opened: 3-5 years
• Business Type: Other

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The Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund

The Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund is a $350,000 grant program that will provide multiple options for small businesses in Chinatown to receive the assistance that has been so lacking in recent years. 100 Small businesses will receive “place-based, culturally responsive support and in-depth technical assistance from AAFE in partnership with Renaissance EDC,” and 22 minority-owned small businesses will receive direct grants of $10,000 each to help “strengthen and sustain their businesses.”

The grants will be administered by LISC NYC and AAFE and distributed through a lottery to eligible businesses, providing equitable access to all levels of language and technology capabilities. One of the stipulations for local businesses to be eligible for the lottery entry is that they must fall in the predetermined borders of Chinatown versus a zipcode. Managing Director of EDC, Jessie C. Lee, spoke on the importance of making this process as equitable as possible through a lottery. The specifically drawn borders are also important as AAFE and LISC know that the community isn’t truly defined by a zip code but by the streets that border it. 

View the full details of the application process and eligibility requirements below.

“Banks are playing a critical role in helping rebuild the neighborhoods of New York, and we are deeply committed to addressing pressing needs so that we can do our part for those we serve,” said Bruce Van Saun, Chairman and CEO, Citizens Financial Group. “We chose Chinatown for this initiative because of the disproportionate and significant impact of the pandemic on its residents. As we continue to expand our New York presence, we look forward to finding additional ways to empower individuals and businesses across the city.”

“Any thriving community is built on a strong foundation of vibrant businesses that are growing and are employing people and creating employment opportunities for folks in the community,” Van Saun told CitySignal. The success of the grant will really be seen once the grants and technical assistance really ”takes roots in three years’ time, a lot of those businesses are positioned for success and doing well, and they’re hiring people, and they’re seeing employment going up. That’s really what we’re trying to do.”

Efforts to Counteract the Disproportionate Aid

If a thriving community comes from small businesses, the first step is to ensure the businesses have what they need to survive. It is no secret the disproportionate impact that Chinatown has dealt with over the past several years. 

A 2021 LISC survey that found minority-owned small businesses lost nearly one-third of their workforce at the height of the pandemic. Additionally, 4 in 10 minority businesses did not receive PPP assistance that was so deeply needed. Before the pandemic, minority businesses were in a more precarious place as they generated only 45 percent of revenue compared to white-owned businesses. When the bottom fell out of the economy as stay home orders were released and fear and discrimination spread, these small businesses suffered at a greater level.

Lasting Impact on Chinatown

In addition to providing the grant for direct impact on small businesses, Citizens is the sole corporate sponsor of the Chinatown Night Market, presented by Think!Chinatown, that will be a celebration of the community in the streets of Chinatown for five nights scattered throughout the rest of 2022. “This grant program and Citizens’ support of the Chinatown Night Market will make a huge positive difference in our recovery,” said Thomas Yu, co-executive director of AAFE.

“There has been a lot of fear in our community about coming out, especially at night, even in our own neighborhood and using our own public spaces,” said Yin Kong, director and co-founder of Think!Chinatown.

Yu echoed this statement sharing how important it is for residents of Chinatown to “reclaim their spaces. Come out and celebrate our community.” 

The first night of the Chinatown Night Market will on May 20th from 8-11 pm at Forsyth Plaza. Featured vendors and performers include Soh Daiko – Japanese Drumming Ensemble, Yiuyiu, Yan Sui – Sugar Painting Artist, Kopitiam – Nyonya (Malay/Singaporean) Eats, Paper Cut Portraits By Master Lu, And More!

After many occurrences of hate crimes and residents feeling unsafe walking the streets of their neighborhood, the Night Market hopes to drive positive traffic to the area and provide the community with a strong sense of empowerment.

You can view the full details of the night market here.

Per Yin Kong, director of Think!Chinatown, “community celebrations like the Chinatown Night Market are important for healing, especially after these past couple of years. We need spaces where we can be together.”

Generational Wealth Through Community Revitalization

In addition, to direct financial impact on small businesses, the lasting impacts of the grant and the night market will not only increase exposure for AAPI businesses in the community but also aid in breaking down the barriers of generational wealth.

Yu also spoke on how AAFE has helped the community in a holistic and comprehensive method of development and that working with partners like LISC and Citizens helps target all the necessary avenues instead of ignoring one and causing a fractured and crumbling response. 

“Having a small business is one of the many ways that immigrants can lift themselves. They’re often, because of language access or access to capital… aren’t able to pursue other avenues but to start a small business,” Yu said, transitioning into how the building up of these small businesses will then translate to a generational wealth of homeownership which can then transfer across generations. Homeownership or a real estate portfolio are some of the largest assets that parents can give to their children in pursuit of the “American Dream.”

Currently, in Chinatown, listings for sale range from the low $700,000s to multi-million dollars, partially due to gentrification and partially due to a large amount of commercial or mixed-use properties. Two examples of what could be are 7 Division Street, a mixed-use building going for almost 12 million dollars, and 86 Elizabeth Street, a multi-family property that has received a price chop from originally listing for almost 14 million dollars to now being at just under 8 million dollars. These properties allow small businesses to plant roots and residents to find their homes. The hope is through providing equitable resources for the Chinatown community, local businesses and members can continue to inhabit the neighborhood and keep their traditions and culture alive and flourishing.

Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund Details and How to Apply for a Grant

For people interested in applying for the grant lottery, eligible small businesses can pick up their lottery ticket at the Renaissance Headquarters between May 19th and June 30th, 2022, from Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm on the 7th floor at 2 Allen Street. The applicants must show the business owner’s photo ID.

The lottery will then be held, and ticket holders will be notified. Following notification, ticket holders will need to verify their eligibility with the required documentation to Renaissance. Following eligibility confirmation, the applications will be passed along to LISC for a final review. Should any businesses be deemed ineligible, individuals on the waitlist will replace the inedible individuals in the order in which they were drawn.

Requirements for the Citizens Chinatown Renewal Fund are as follows:

• Minority-owned business.
• Active business registration
• Storefront location within the boundaries of Chinatown. This is the area bordered by Broome St. on the North, Rutger/Essex on the East, Madison St. on the South East, Worth St. on the South, and Broadway on the West. (image)
• Current active lease with a minimum 3-year term remaining.
• Must provide photo ID of business owner
• Maximum $500,000 business sales on the most recent tax return.
• Minimum 1 year (12 months) of business operations in Chinatown.
• View the flyer here
• View this information in Chinese here

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