MESA, AZ — The Asian District in Mesa held a special night market Saturday in hopes to draw customers back to Asian businesses after fears of coronavirus hurt business.
More than one hundred businesses participated in the Asian Market Night Market in the parking lot of the Arizona International Marketplace at Dobson and Broadway Roads in Mesa.
The manager of Mekong Marketplace said the plaza has seen a 30% drop in sales in the past month. Maricopa County confirmed its first and only case of the Novel Coronavirus in January.
"We have a lot of international students from China that go to ASU that shop here. So I think that was one of the fears," said Steven Diep, Property Manager of Mekong Plaza.
The U.S. Representative from Arizona Greg Stanton attended the event and said he thinks the nation's leaders should put politics aside when treating and reacting to the coronavirus.
"Very important decisions should be based on science and health and facts," said Representative Stanton. "We want to make decisions on what's best for public health but not in any way based on unfair prejudice."
The night market was hosted by the Arizona Asian Chamber of Commerce.
