From Cheap Eats to Fine Dining: The Survival of Local Restaurants Amidst the Evolution of Capital in the San Gabriel Valley

Food establishments are central to the social and political dynamics of ethnoburbs — that is, suburbs primarily influenced by one ethnicity. Ethnic restaurants often serve as placemaking establishments: the availability of ethnic food influences immigrant life and builds community belonging. Sociological scholarship on restaurants in Asian enclaves has typically focused on Asian food histories of the United States — or, more specifically, Chinatowns — taking a historical perspective on urban ethnic enclaves. As many ethnic enclaves are now situated in the suburbs, this project examines the management of food establishments in the contemporary ethnoburbs of the San Gabriel Valley (SGV). The SGV is home to the largest concentration of Asian communities in the US— predominantly mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, and Japanese communities. The globally recognized region currently attracts many immigrant investors and tourists, and its Asian community actively revitalizes the built environment and commercial landscape. This project analyzes a case study between two strip malls and twelve interviews with restaurant owners and residents, investigating the aesthetic transformation of commercial squares and the experiences of local business owners. The research evaluates how commercial property development reflects the ethnoburb's increasing overseas economic influence and an influx of transnational wealth, or capital from transpacific partnerships. This study is especially pertinent in a time where communities are changing at rapid rates due to increasing globalization and expenses brought by commercial investments. While upscale property developments reflect the retail habits of new SGV residents, these changes also risk the survival of local businesses amidst the competition of international chains.