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An Anaheim boulevard known for its Middle Eastern lamb, falafel and saffron rice is now officially designated Little Arabia.
The Anaheim City Council has granted Brookhurst Avenue between Broadway and Ball Road, according to the Orange County Register. The boundaries may change after a planned study.
It took more than a decade and a lot of public organizing to name the district with the most businesses owned or operated by Arab Americans. More than 140 Arab and Middle Eastern/North African businesses line Brookhurst and nearby streets.
Business owners in Little Arabia hope it will help draw more people from near and far to its restaurants and specialty shops. It joins the Vietnamese-American community of Little Saigon as an Orange County landmark and tourist magnet.
“It would be an eye-opener for people outside of Anaheim to say, ‘Oh, there’s this little Arab, she said – let’s go and try something,'” said Asm Abusir, who has been serving Knafh Cafe Palestine. Pastries, sweets and culture for ten years.
The annual city study will determine how long Brookhurst Avenue will be part of the public corridor and what aesthetic improvements will be made.
It also considers whether it should be classified as a commercial or cultural district.
Some see the formal designation as recognition of their contributions to Anaheim.
“Since 2008, I have spoken with three mayors and at least 13 councilors to get Little Arabia recognized,” said Rashad Al-Dabbah, executive director of the Arab American Civic Council. After pushing hard and not giving up over the years, we ended up with this victory.
At City Council meetings, supporters rallied for the nomination, but could not get buy-in from the mayor or enough council members to put it on the agenda. That changed in May after Mayor Harry Sidhu resigned, allowing Councilman Jose Moreno to promote.
Aldabag hopes to work with artists and the city on beautification projects and to find signs that point people to Little Arabia and inform them of their arrival.
“We have the opportunity to count on Little Arabia and bring more attention, more resources,” he said. “Anaheim is more than Disneyland, it’s more than just entertainment, and it’s time to focus and share its resources with West Anaheim.”
– Dana Bartholomew
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