SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A “Year of the Dragon” mural in downtown Santa Barbara is celebrating the area’s Asian history and culture.
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) commissioned local artist DJ Javier to paint the mural in celebration of the lunar new year. SBTHP board member Kai Tepper had the idea a year ago and was able to secure funding through the state’s “Stop the Hate Program.”
The mural is painted on the side of the former Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens, a family-owned Chinese restaurant that opened in 1947. The Chung family, who lived in the adjoining residence, owned the business for more than 60 years. The building is now home to the Lovejoy’s Pickle Room.
Kepper said Jimmy’s Oriental Garden was an important part of the diverse community of people who lived and worked within the Presidio Neighborhood. Starting in the 1860s, the block of Canon Perdido Street between State street and Anacapa Street served as the cultural and residential hub for the Chinese community.