Asia Plaza, Cleveland, Ohio

Speaking perhaps most directly to just one portion of Cleveland's globe-spanning ethnic spectrum, Asia Plaza was first developed by local entrepreneur John Louie in 1988. It is a multi-tenant retail structure situated at the heart of the City of Cleveland’s long established urban Chinatown, which begins just a few blocks north and east of the campus of expanding Cleveland State University.

The shopping complex, located at the intersection of Payne Avenue and East 30^th Street on the city’s near East Side, was originally anchored by Louie’s own Hall One store. Today the convenience plaza hosts 20 different tenants offering a variety of essential products and services to the surrounding Asian community and other Midtown residents.

Situated on a mere 6 acres, Asia Plaza offers ample parking to its customers, and is readily accessible both from the surrounding grid of city streets, and from Interstate 90 and the city’s 'innerbelt' expressway via either Superior or Chester Avenues.

The tenants of Asia Plaza encompass the full range of neighborhood goods and services, including a café, restaurant, video store, health clinic, insurance office, grocery store, herbalist, hair salon, flower shop, jewelry store, gift shop, and an acupuncturist, as well as several community service offices catering to the needs of the residents of the surrounding area.

As a local asset to the many ethnic Asians of this increasingly popular region, Asia Plaza also hosts a number of events each year, commemorating such occasions as the Chinese New Year celebration, the annual Asian Festival and the Moon Festival. These are always well attended by Cleveland families — with those of non-Asian descent plentiful among them.