APPLETON, Wis. — An Appleton community center is receiving a quarter-million-dollar state grant.
Long Cheng Marketplace has been awarded a Community Development Investment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
Long Cheng features pop-up shops, restaurants and cultural events that celebrate Hmong culture and community. Founder Maiyoua Thao said the marketplace has exceeded her initial goals.
“Over the years, Long Cheng Marketplace has grown into much more than a marketplace. It has become a gathering place, a place where parents introduce their grandchildren to traditions they don’t want forgotten, where neighbors stop to catch up, where families celebrate together and where everyone walks through these doors hoping to connect with their roots,” Thao said.
WEDC CEO John Miller said Long Cheng is a unique business venture.
“It’s giving small business owners a chance to chase their dreams while also serving as a cultural hub for Southeast Asian communities in the Appleton area,” Miller said.
Long Cheng plans to use the grant to renovate its building on South Lawe Street.
