VTMBH Article: Body
Green Farm, the last remaining grocery store owned by Korean-Americans on Main Street in Flushing, was recently sold to Chinese-American merchants who have gained commercial control over the area. A local Chinese-American paper has proudly headlined the deal, leaving many Korean-Americans feeling bitter.
On May 31, a Chinese-American weekly, the Global Chinese Times, published an article with the headlines The Last Korean Stronghold Demolished, and Flushing Now Under Chinese Control. The Global Chinese Times reported that Green Farm, which had kept alive the tradition of Korean-American businesses on Main Street, was recently sold to Chinese-American merchants, thereby signaling the disappearance of Korean-owned grocery stores in downtown Flushing.
The newspaper further commented that the era of Korean-American dominance in the produce market in downtown Flushing is over, and that the Chinese-American merchants have finally gained commercial supremacy in the Flushing area. According to the Global Chinese Times, Green Farm was taken over last month by the members of a regional association in the Chinese-American community who each paid $2,000. The sale price is estimated to have been somewhere between $500,000 and $1,000,000.
Green Farm is currently renovating its outer walls and interior facilities and plans to reopen at the end of this month.
According to the Korean-American produce market circles, Green Farm was originally purchased by a Korean-American businessman in the late 80s from a white owner, and has changed hands among Korean-American merchants for the past 13 to 15 years. For more than four years, it was the only Korean-owned grocery store in the area, until its purchase by Chinese-American merchants about two weeks ago. The last Korean-American owner of Green Farm could not be reached for comment.
On May 31, a Chinese-American weekly, the Global Chinese Times, published an article with the headlines The Last Korean Stronghold Demolished, and Flushing Now Under Chinese Control. The Global Chinese Times reported that Green Farm, which had kept alive the tradition of Korean-American businesses on Main Street, was recently sold to Chinese-American merchants, thereby signaling the disappearance of Korean-owned grocery stores in downtown Flushing.
The newspaper further commented that the era of Korean-American dominance in the produce market in downtown Flushing is over, and that the Chinese-American merchants have finally gained commercial supremacy in the Flushing area. According to the Global Chinese Times, Green Farm was taken over last month by the members of a regional association in the Chinese-American community who each paid $2,000. The sale price is estimated to have been somewhere between $500,000 and $1,000,000.
Green Farm is currently renovating its outer walls and interior facilities and plans to reopen at the end of this month.
According to the Korean-American produce market circles, Green Farm was originally purchased by a Korean-American businessman in the late 80s from a white owner, and has changed hands among Korean-American merchants for the past 13 to 15 years. For more than four years, it was the only Korean-owned grocery store in the area, until its purchase by Chinese-American merchants about two weeks ago. The last Korean-American owner of Green Farm could not be reached for comment.