DENVER — Along Federal Boulevard in southwest Denver, a stretch of Asian restaurants, grocery stores and family-owned shops makes up one of the city's most vibrant cultural corridors — Little Saigon.
Right in the heart of the business district sits Truong An Gifts, and store owner Mimi Luong describes as a one-stop shop.
"It's a little bit of everything like an Asian department store," Luong said.
► Watch Claire Lavezzorio's report in the player below:
Luong is proud of her family's legacy there, but she knows the neighborhood faces real challenges.
"Rent is high, food cost is high. Just owning any kind of business, the cost is high," Luong said.
Just last week, Denver7 covered concerns surrounding the proposed redevelopment of the Asia Center, another Little Saigon staple. Developers are proposing a four-story building with retail and apartments there.
To help protect Little Saigon's future, Colorado Asian Pacific United — a coalition of cultural leaders and allies — released a 2026 preservation study. Executive Director Joie Ha says it compiles three years of data from business and property owners, highlighting concerns about crumbling infrastructure, public safety and a lack of support.
View the full study here or in the embed below:
"We need support from policy makers," Ha said. "We need support from local organizations to make sure that these recommendations don't live on this page and they actually materialize into tangible results in the neighborhood."
Among the study's recommendations is launching a community advisory group to tackle redevelopment and safety concerns — something Ha says will get underway this summer.
"Really having a concentrated effort to make sure that Little Saigon remains Little Saigon, and it remains a place where our community can see themselves in," Ha said.
For Luong, the effort is personal.
"And I have two boys myself, I would love to see them have a space that they can be proud of that shows their culture, their heritage," Luong said.
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