Cynthia Huie remembers when Chinatown wasn’t the place for block parties (opens in new tab), DJ sets (opens in new tab), or night markets where thousands filled the neighborhood’s historic, narrow streets.
That time was only a few years ago. “I’ve seen a lot of change since my sister Jennifer and I opened On Waverly (opens in new tab) in 2023,” Huie says. Dropped into the hood’s mix of legacy businesses, the sisters’ colorful gift shop is stocked with Chinese cookbooks, AAPI fiction, pantry items from local businesses like Mama Teav’s chile crisp, and “Toisan United” stickers.
A year ago, Huie also took over a funky former dentist’s office upstairs from the shop and added an oversized floral mural painted by local artist Angela Chu (opens in new tab) and mismatched vintage furniture. She introduced the stylish space as The Clubhouse (opens in new tab), which has hosted Rotary Club mahjong nights and dumpling-making classes.
Huie’s On Waverly compound has not only become one of Chinatown’s coolest additions but is creating space for young Asian Americans to infuse new life into an aging community, all while celebrating their own identities. “Growing up Chinese American, I had an interior life and an exterior life,” Huie says. “It was like I wasn’t Chinese enough or not American enough. But now, as an adult, I get to live both freely.”…