AsiaTown

AsiaTown in Cleveland reflects a rich and evolving history of immigration and community building. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, European immigrants—including Lithuanians, Poles, Croatians, and Slovenians—settled south of St. Clair Avenue to be near growing industrial jobs, while Cleveland’s early Chinese community established a small Chinatown near Ontario Street. In the 1940s, as the city’s industrial base began to fade, the Chinese community shifted east to E. 22nd Street, establishing a new Chinatown that became the heart of Cleveland’s Asian community.

Throughout the 20th century, instability abroad and economic opportunities in Cleveland drew new immigrants and families, including large Korean, Vietnamese, and Japanese populations. Today, the area—roughly bounded by East 18th to East 40th Streets and St. Clair to Perkins Avenues—has the highest concentration of Asian Americans in Ohio. AsiaTown remains a vibrant neighborhood, celebrated for its diverse restaurants, businesses, and community events, and continues to honor its heritage while welcoming new generations.