APPLETON (NBC 26) — Long Cheng Marketplace, A local hub of food, culture, and community, is one step closer to a major upgrade.
On Wednesday, the Appleton Common Council unanimously approved a grant application for up to $250,000 for the marketplace. The council can only nominate one business for the grant each fiscal year, and the funding is not guaranteed.
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Long Cheng Marketplace is home to rows of shops featuring handmade gifts, restaurants, tea shops, and an entire grocery store packed with items only found at Asian markets. Thao said every space is full, and plans are in motion to expand.
"I feel very excited, well, then we’ll bring more people to come in, you know, to shop here, so they know who we are, that we’re located in Appleton here, and very, very excited," Thao said.
Thao told me Long Cheng is a safe space for many in the Valley's Asian community. People can find help with legal paperwork, enjoy a fresh meal, and shop for ingredients that bring the taste of home.
The marketplace also draws people from all backgrounds. Customer Rose Hartman loves the food and boba tea, and she is excited for what the expansion could bring for the whole community.
"There’s not a lot of Asian markets that I have seen, especially in the area, so I am all for the expansion - especially culturally. There is a lot of stuff I want to purchase at Asian markets I can’t get anywhere else," Hartman said.
It could take months before the marketplace learns if the grant comes through.
Expansion or not, the marketplace remains open and welcoming to the whole community.
