Efforts to revitalize San Francisco Chinatown is once again turning to the nightlife.
KTVU reports red lanterns are lighting up the night to bring vibrancy to the community after dark.
Merchants complain Chinatown empties as early as 3 p.m.
It’s hoped adding the colorful lanterns will give people a reason to come to Chinatown at night.
It’s the latest in a long series of initiatives to bring back people to Chinatown.
China Live opened in February. The food emporium brought another upscale eatery to the area. Maybe its just me, but the buzz generated about that restaurant seems to have faded.
Comparisons are inevitable to Mr Jiu’s, another upscale eatery which took over the location of a longtime Chinatown establishment, Four Seas. Mr Jiu’s from chef Brandon Jew continues to get a lot of good press. The star from Michelin certainly helped.
Mr. Jiu’s opened in April of last year. While there were high hopes for both Mr. Jius’s and China Live, they were clearly not enough to turn around Chinatown’s dwindling crowds.
Merchants hope the addition of the lanterns coupled with good eats will begin to change that.
“We want the lanterns there for the ambiance and at the same time, it gives it more light at night too,” says Laura Li one of the four who came up with the idea.
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RE: SF Chinatown lights up the night in latest Effort at Revitalization :That’s a good start. People like festive and light.
My father revitalized Chicago’s dying Chnatown by building low cost non-profit houses and a 125 unit apartment buiding for the poor and elderly. His philosophy was that if people lived in Chinatown it would bring back Chinatown. It did.
Don’t think that’s the same with SF Chinatown, tho…. It’s just too commercial and trinket driven. Hmmmmm….