How much can you rely on an ethnic economy to move forward?

From "A city tries to find itself," subtitled "Reversing Monterey Park's declining tax base could require attracting national retailers at the expense of businesses targeting Asian community," in the Los Angeles Times:

The question now for Monterey Park is how much can it rely on an ethnic economy to move forward?"

We have to build national retail stores for everyone to come to, or we are not going to survive," said Councilman Mitchell Ing, a third-generation Chinese American. "We are on the fence right now. The city can go either way."

Major efforts have already begun, none bigger than the 200,000-square-foot Atlantic Times Square project just north of Chung's parcel on Atlantic Boulevard. A 14-screen theater is planned for the site, and an agreement with the developer ensures that just over half the tenants will be nationally recognized stores as opposed to "mom-and-pop" shops.

Also see "Yick Fung Co., a Chinatown institution, will close its doors this week: 1910 store will live on in museum," from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.