Roger Hong hated the cliche that Chinatown was insular, dirty and only sought out by visitors for cheap trinkets and greasy food.
Five years ago, when he was given the opportunity to bring new businesses into his family's buildings in Chinatown's Central Plaza -- the landmark square in the 900 block of Broadway anchored by its famous neon-tinted east gate -- he invited a hip, Japanese American boutique, a purveyor of underground toy art and a bohemian-minded Vietnamese cafe that would cater to the many artists that have flooded the neighborhood.
It was a sizable risk for Hong, because the business district was still little more than a weekend tourist attraction. Many old-timers wondered why he didn't simply lease the spaces to the same-old vendors selling back scratchers, silk robes and lucky trees.
"He didn't want to just fill up space," said George Yu, executive director of the Chinatown Business Improvement District. "He wanted tenants he could believe in."
Hong died of lung cancer Friday at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, said his longtime friend, Carol Courtenay. He was 65.
Hong was a founding board member of the improvement district and a longtime property owner. His father was a pioneering Chinese American lawyer who helped build the so-called New Chinatown 68 years ago.
Friends, relatives and Chinatown stakeholders say Hong's insistence on encouraging young, creative Asian Americans to come into the neighborhood will reinvigorate Chinatown. And in some ways, it already has. Central Plaza comes to life on many weekends with the sound of dance music and hip-hop blaring from neighboring bars. Hipsters flock to the nearby galleries and the boutiques in buildings formerly owned by Hong's family.
Hong wanted more cohesion in the business community. He implored others to stay open later to attract evening crowds. He wanted store owners to consider modernizing. Often, his pleas were ignored. Though Hong was respected for his father's accomplishments, he still struggled to persuade Chinatown's old guard. It did not help that he could not speak Chinese.
"Respect is a big part of the culture," Yu said. "Roger grew up with the old guard, calling them 'auntie' and 'uncle,' but it was difficult trying to do business with them. Some of these tenants were paying nominal rent and weren't trying to improve their businesses."
