Support Little Tokyo Business During the Current Crisis – Don’t Repeat History

April 13, 2020

Spread the love

(Gerry Furth-Sides, Content from Go Little Tokyo) What a wonderful opportunity the current crisis is to change social history by supporting Japanese American business in downtown Los Angeles during the pandemic. The record in World War II for treatment of Asian Americans needs to be changed, and can be now. The first thing we happened to do just before restaurants closed for in-door dining the last day of February was eat at an Asian restaurant in DTLA, and it turned out to be one of the most hospitable and delicious dining experiences we have ever had.

Historic and family-owned restaurants and businesses in Little Tokyo continue to operate for delivery, takeout, or online shopping to provide for the community while giving back to those in need and frontline workers. At 135-years-old, Little Tokyo is the second oldest neighborhood in Los Angeles and the largest of only three remaining Japantowns in the United States. There are a number of ways to show how you #LoveLT by eating local and supporting Little Tokyo businesses while practicing social distancing and contributing to the giveback programs.

Wake up at home with Cafe Dulce’s most popular drinks now available in half gallons to-go including blueberry matcha lattes, milk teas, and cold brew. Pair the morning drinks with its limited-time crispy, fluffy, sausage donuts or a comfort meal of authentic Japanese cuisine from Suehiro Cafe, a family business in its 48th year. Follow @golittletokyo on Instagram for details on the limited releases of sausage donuts.

Support the community from home by donating to Little Tokyo’s Community Feeding Community program. The program provides meals for hospitality workers whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19 while supporting small businesses in Little Tokyo/Arts District. For those who are not local to Little Tokyo, donating a meal for $15 online at littletokyola.org/loveLT is a great way to show your support. 100 percent of all donations go directly to purchasing meals from small businesses.

Little Tokyo hand-crafted vegan doughnut hotspot Donatsu is offering its uplifting heart-shaped doughnuts in a variety of favorite flavors for weekend curbside pick-up including matcha-pistachio rose, vanilla bean, and creme brulee. Purchases made to Donatsu directly support their efforts to provide fresh coffee and doughnuts to our healthcare heroes working in Los Angeles hospitals every weekend for the full month of April. Additional donations to support Donatsu’s efforts can be made online here.

For a sweet treat pick-me-up, recreate a favorite boba drink at-home with MILK+T DIY boba kits available for delivery while supporting the store’s efforts to provide free lunches to the community and boba donations and deliveries to first responders. For a full list of Little Tokyo restaurants offering online or delivery services, click here.

In addition to delivery and to-go orders, support local favorites by purchasing a gift card to be used at a later date, follow @GoLittleTokyo on Instagram or Facebook to like and share posts on social media, sign up for a business’ newsletter to receive details, updates, and deals, or shop online if the merchant has that option available. Visit littletokyola.org/loveLT for the latest resources and information and how to continue to support Little Tokyo businesses during this time.

###

ABOUT GO LITTLE TOKYO
Go Little Tokyo is a community-led effort aimed at highlighting the unique cultural programs, community events, and dining and shopping experiences found in Little Tokyo. As one of Los Angeles’ most vibrant cultural hubs, there is an abundance of destinations and landmarks in and around this historic walkable neighborhood and Go Little Tokyo will help you uncover them. Go Little Tokyo is a Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) project developed and produced by Community Arts Resources (CARS) and made possible with support from Metro. For more information, visit golittletokyo.com.