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| Happier times at the Eden Center. |
“The pandemic that is shuttering restaurants across the country is draining the life out of the Eden Center,” Eliza Berkon writes. “Layoffs abound as foot traffic wanes. Revenue at still-open shops is tanking. Xenophobia lingers as yet another threat to business. And an immigrant community that’s been here for nearly half a century is watching a beacon of its vitality grow dim.”
Saigon Bakery and Deli, Rice Paper, and Huong Viet are among the many eateries that have closed. [The Eden Center website lists takeout menus for restaurants offering carryout service.]
One of the restaurant owners interviewed for the article said business is just 10 percent of what it had been before the pandemic, and 90 percent of his staff has been laid off. While he received funding from a Paycheck Protection Program loan, he remains concerned about covering all his expenses if business remains stagnant.
The Eden Center is more than a shopping center, it’s at the center of the Vietnamese community, and before the pandemic, drew customers from all over the region, especially for events, such as Tết, the Vietnamese new year festival. The WAMU article, which covers the history of the Eden Center, can be accessed here.