Los Angeles' Chinatown
Explore one of L.A.'s oldest neighborhoods, home to a diverse population that has established roots, businesses, community-serving organizations and more.
88 Gifts (2023) by Rico MandelLos Angeles Conservancy
88 Gifts
From a small storefront on Ord Street, owner Annie Ma sells housewares, plants, Chinese-language newspapers and more to local residents and visitors. Rising rents and gentrification threaten 88 Gifts, a 30+ year legacy business and other important places, in L.A. Chinatown.
Castelar Street Elementary School
Founded in 1882, this school began as a four-room building with four teachers serving 300-400 students. Today it is the second-oldest school in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the first in the district to hire staff who could teach in English, Spanish, and Cantonese.
Central Plaza (2019) by M. Rosalind Sagara/L.A. ConservancyLos Angeles Conservancy
Central Plaza
In 1937, the Los Angeles Chinatown Project Association, galvanized by Peter Soo Hoo Sr., raised funds to acquire, design and construct New Chinatown's Central Plaza. Today it is also known as New Chinatown Historic District.
Y.C. Hong Office
Widely regarded as the first Chinese American lawyer in the U.S., Y.C. Hong specialized in immigration law and devoted his career to Chinese American civil rights. His office, inside a building he commissioned, has been preserved in New Chinatown's Central Plaza.
Grandview Gardens lantern sign
Grandview Gardens restaurant opened in New Chinatown in 1961 and operated until 1991. It was demolished in 1991-1992 following a fire at the then-vacant building. Only two historic signs designed by Milton Quon remain at the site of this longtime popular restaurant.
East Gate (Gate of Maternal Virtues)
Located on the eastern end of Gin Ling Way in New Chinatown's Central Plaza, this gate was commissioned by Y.C. Hong to honor his mother. The East and West Gates were designated as Historic-Cultural Monuments in 2005 by the L.A. Conservancy.
West Plaza
Located across Hill Street from Central Plaza, the West Plaza was developed after World War II and opened in 1948. The overall aesthetic is more modern in style and more subdued in decoration than Central Plaza.
Phoenix Bakery (2016) by Annie Laskey/L.A. ChinatownLos Angeles Conservancy
Phoenix Bakery
Opened in New Chinatown's Central Plaza in 1938, Phoenix Bakery moved to its current location on Broadway in 1977. Owned and operated by third-generation Chan family members, the bakery produces hundreds of their trademark whipped cream and fresh strawberry cakes every week.
In 2020, Kathryn Ceppi shared how her parents started Phoenix Bakery.
Gee How Oak Tin Association (2016) by Annie Laskey/L.A. ConservancyLos Angeles Conservancy
Gee How Oak Tin Association Building
Family association buildings like the Gee How Oak Tin Association Building in Los Angeles play a vital role in North American Chinatowns.
Cathay Bank (2016) by Annie Laskey/L.A. ChinatownLos Angeles Conservancy
Cathay Bank
Designed by Eugene Kinn Choy in the 1960s, Cathay Bank is the oldest American bank founded by Chinese Americans to specifically address the growing financial needs of the Chinese community.
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Bank of America Chinatown Branch
Listed as Historic-Cultural Monument #1269 by the L.A. Conservancy in 2022, this building was designed by Gilbert Leong and Richard Layne Tom in the 1970s.
Mai Tu by Jacob WongLos Angeles Conservancy
Mai Tu
Mai Tu operates her longtime namesake jewelry store from Dynasty Center, the last indoor swap meet in L.A. Chinatown.
Chinese Historical Society of Southern California (2016) by Annie Laskey/L.A. ConservancyLos Angeles Conservancy
Chinatown Heritage Center
Purchased by the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California in 1994, the Chinatown Heritage Center welcomes visitors to learn more about Chinese American history in Los Angeles.
Hop Woo (2023) by Rico MandelLos Angeles Conservancy
Hop Woo
Owner Judy Cen and daughter Kelli Liang in front of their longtime family-run restaurant. In 2023, Hop Woo was a recipient of the L.A. Conservancy's Legacy Business grant.
The L.A. Conservancy is committed to working with neighborhood advocates and others to ensure the long-term sustainability of L.A. Chinatown.
Some of the information shared in this story was featured in a special tour "Exploring Chinatown, Past and Present" organized by the L.A. Conservancy in 2016.
Learn more about the L.A. Conservancy's Legacy Business Initiative here.
Written by M. Rosalind Sagara. Rosalind is the Neighborhood Outreach Manager with the Los Angeles Conservancy.
