Help Build a Third Space on Asia on Argyle!

The Need

Asia on Argyle, for the last 40-plus years, has been a hub for the Southeast Asian diaspora through food, retail, and community services. Multiple layers of external instances have impacted the corridor negatively in the past few years and ultimately the longevity of the cultural corridor is at a crossroads. The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt many businesses across the city, but with Anti-Asian Hate affiliated to the Asian diasporic communities, Argyle has been hit even harder.

With close to 10 business closures since the pandemic and a slew of smash-and-grabs to business storefronts, the corridor is struggling. Further, with the City’s public train reconstruction project, which will ultimately add value to the area, the next few years of construction will be a challenge for businesses. Through the lens of cultural corridor sustenance, there is a need for a revival of our community through innovative, creative spaces that provide pathways to contributing to the economic vitality of our neighborhood.

Who We Are

Qideas, run by Ellen Duong, is a legacy business that is woman, minority, family-owned for over 20 years within the Asia on Argyle community and has been a retail outpost for plants, cultural artifacts, and restaurant supplies for many residents, adjacent businesses, and visitors. HAIBAYÔ, co-owned by Jennifer Pham and Hac Tran, established in 2019, is a creative event planning business that energizes the historic Asia on Argyle corridor through innovative programming. Argyle Street Creative, established in 2021 by Jennifer Pham and Hac Tran, is a start-up 501(c)(3) economic development and arts organization that aims to create thriving commercial ecosystems by accelerating businesses that preserve culture and community.

Collectively, the three of us behind Qideas, HAIBAYÔ, and Argyle Street Creative partnering together in this joint venture are 2nd generation children of refugees who all found a place and home within the Argyle corridor after their families fled the Vietnam War and have grown up to understand what the community challenges, successes, and needs are, and have done extensive work as community leaders. We possess a fundamental understanding and knowledge of what our community needs and we believe that our project will have a catalytic impact.

The Vision

Our vision is to create a creative cultural hub for community and collective action, providing a nurturing environment for innovative ideas to flourish. This dynamic third space not only fosters entrepreneurship but serves as a cultural incubator, ensuring that traditions are passed down and celebrated. It also doubles as an exciting event space, providing a platform for showcasing the diverse and creative work of our community, from live music to poetry to film to comedy to visual and performance art. Our mission is to create a multi-functional, multi-faceted business that offers the Asia on Argyle community an anchor that carries on the cultural legacy of the community through thoughtful, inclusive, culturally relevant programming and incubation services.

What we’ve learned through our collective experience is that ingenuity, uniqueness, diversity, and newness ultimately not only attract a new audience but build a new business model of inclusivity and collective gain. Our specific offerings – one that encapsulates botanicals, youth development, incubation of Southeast Asian diasporic entrepreneurs, culturally focused place-keeping programmatic efforts, and food and drink inspired by our culinary roots –are rooted in our authenticity and understanding of the larger corridor.

The Challenge:

Despite our shared vision, we face a significant challenge in achieving our goals as we renovate the original Qideas plant shop into a third space. We need funds to transform into a space that offers a renovated plant shop, art gallery, small cafe/bar, and large flexible programmatic event space.

Our vision and intention of this endeavor is inclusive, not competitive: we strive to become a community anchor that collectively builds together with other businesses and organizations for all of us to thrive. Once built out, Argyle Street Creative will be able to generate revenue through various facets: cafe/bar sales, curated programming event ticket sales, event space rentals, and incubation services funded by grants.

Your Support Matters:

This is where you come in. With your contribution, you are directly supporting Qideas, HAIBAYÔ, and Argyle Street Creative’s efforts to nurture and celebrate diversity in our community through the development of this community anchor 3rd Space. Your support will help build, renovate, and realize this physical space.

As we weather the ongoing CTA construction project and ever-changing shifts of Uptown, this project is a reminder that Argyle Street is not just a neighborhood; it's a living testament to the resilience, creativity, and cultural richness of the AAPI community, with the next generation at its forefront.

Your contribution is indispensable as we move forward with our build, and you will play a huge part in securing Asia on Argyle as a historic place while also investing in its growth and inclusivity.