Sep 27Văn Lang Vietnamese School: Preserving language and culture in Little SaigonIt’s back-to-school season in Little Saigon, and we’re getting ready to support another cohort of students through our Level 1 Vietnamese Language Class. Every year since 2019, Friends of Little Sài Gòn has partnered with Văn Lang Vietnamese School to offer Vietnamese language and culture courses to adults seeking to…Little Saigon6 min readLittle Saigon6 min read
Jul 3July 6, 2023: Little Saigon is Getting a ParkAfter over a decade of advocating for vibrant public spaces in Little Saigon, we finally get to witness the Little Saigon Park groundbreaking! Theresa Reyna immigrated with her family from Vietnam to the US in the late 1970s. She has been a longstanding community member and advocate in Little Saigon…Little Saigon3 min readLittle Saigon3 min read
May 31The New Face of Bubble Tea Fresh Fruit JuiceMeet Ngoc-Hung, the new owner of Little Saigon’s favorite boba and smoothie shop! — Ngoc’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to Saigon, Vietnam, where his parents sold wholesale goods at outdoor markets. Years later, he’s continuing their legacy through business ownership in Seattle’s Little Saigon. At Friends of Little Sài Gòn (FLS), we’re always excited to celebrate new business owners setting up shop and building community in the neighborhood.Little Saigon1 min readLittle Saigon1 min read
Mar 30Entrepreneurship as Daughters of the Diaspora: Phở Bắc Sup Shop and Phnom Penh Noodle HouseAs the daughters of Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrants, the owners and sister duos of Phở Bắc Sup Shop and Phnom Penh Noodle House largely credit their unique style of business operations to the influence of the women in their communities. — In Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID), we’re lucky to be in the presence of many legacy businesses, founded in the 1970s and 80s by long standing community members such as Viet-Wah’s Đức Trần and Kim-Ngọc Jewelry’s Dang family. Phở Bắc, established in 1982, was one of the first businesses to establish…Women Owned Business11 min readWomen Owned Business11 min read
Feb 24Black History in Little SaigonDiscover one of Seattle’s most iconic Black-owned business, located in the heart of current-day Little Saigon — Black History Month is a dedicated time for us to educate ourselves about the Black American stories of the past, present, and future so often hidden and obscured from public school education and mainstream media. As Black History Month comes to a close, Friends of Little Sài Gòn welcomes you…Black History Month5 min readBlack History Month5 min read
Dec 12, 2022Đồng Tháp Noodles: A special kind of phởLearn how Đồng Tháp does it differently. — With their name alone, Đồng Tháp Noodles sets themselves apart from other Vietnamese restaurants. Named after the Đồng Tháp Province in South Vietnam, the Bui family establishment shares a similarity with the region known for its endless stretch of rice terraces. “In that province,” Đồng Tháp co-owner Nick Bui explains…Little Saigon4 min readLittle Saigon4 min read
Oct 23, 2022Kim Ngoc Jewelry: Legacy Businesses in Little SaigonKim Ngoc Jewelry owners Phillip and Lynette discuss Little Saigon’s past, present, and future. — One of the unique characteristics of Seattle’s Little Saigon is the dense concentration of legacy businesses–businesses that are small, old, independently owned and operated, and have some significance to the community they’re in (City of Seattle Department of Economic Development, Legacy Business Study, 2017). …Little Saigon5 min readLittle Saigon5 min read
Sep 29, 2022Reflecting on Viet-Wah’s Impact in Seattle’s Little SaigonAfter 40+ years of serving the Little Saigon community, Viet-Wah’s Jackson St. location is closing down. — Just a week before Viet-Wah’s Seattle location closes, we sat down with Đức Trần and Leeching Tran and discussed what it means to have been such a foundational and iconic pillar in the neighborhood. …Seattle9 min readSeattle9 min read
