Mekong Plaza: How Did I Not Know About This Mall? | Retail Archaeology

In this episode we take a look at Mekong Plaza, a mall in Mesa, AZ that I discovered a few months ago.
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#mall #MekongPlaza

[@McOuroborosBurger]

A mall with a supermarket as an anchor is a good idea. You don’t need new clothes every week, but you do need food.

[@archangel9363]

Here in Australia, supermarkets and shopping centers (malls) go together like burgers and fries. I once saw an entire shopping complex be built around a freestanding Coles(one of two nationwide supermarket chains with at least 40% marketshare) and all the small shops around it make a decent sum from residual foot traffic. You'll come for bread and milk, but you'll stay and have lunch at one of five cafe's strategically placed by each entrance. Why this sound strategy of bringing in supermarket chains to dying malls in the States is beyond me

[@Rahshu]

Damn! This is one of the nicest malls I've seen period! It's genuinely classy, clean, and seems to actually have interesting things. I'll bet the food is way better than what you'd find in your typical mall, too. I wish they could all be like this.

[@ArtTasticCreations]

I've been to the Mekong plaza. It's a really cool place, definitely worth visiting. I'd actually like to go back one of these days.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

nice to see all those unique independent shops. sick of going to regular malls and seeing the same old national chains that are major rip offs.

[@BigManJapan298]

Damn this was actually really neat to watch !

[@yazminhuerta9346]

That Boba place is literally soooo amazing. I’ve tried a couple of different of drinks , and trust me I’ve never been dissapointed

[@jrdn.lauren]

That bakery is the best in the city. It's all Asian style but I think it's the best. Hands down. Seafood is also very fresh here. They even sell some sushi grade fish. They will sell you the whole fish and fillet it, fry it or deep fry it for you for free. Oh, that restaurant that takes up half the food court is the same owners as the market itself.

[@rosalindaalbrecht1795]

This is one of the few jewels in Arizona. I moved to Washington and haven't seen anywhere quite like it here. There's a lot of diversity but this mall is a treasure. When I go back, this and the grid bar are the two I want to go back to.

[@McOuroborosBurger]

The real question is, Did you buy an anime body pillow?

[@lillyie]

it doesn't mean it's asian means it has japanese stuff in it

[@xImageBreakerx]

They actually do sell anime stuff.

[@joseescobedo7899]

Yes

[@DasDuken]

My friends and I went there many times during and after college. It reminded me a lot of Asian-American shopping centers in Southern California. Sunday Dim Sum was bumping before COVID19. Every food place we tried there was exceptionally good though that was many years ago. Every Asian-American household in the 90s had at least one of those flat dioramas you pointed out.

[@brookelynn30355]

I love this plaza! I just randomly typed it in on YT and this popped up! You can find some awesome stuff inside that supermarket.

[@RetailArchaeology]

There are a lot of great restaurants their too 🙂 Thanks for watching!

[@derinm7289]

Just wanted to let you know that my brother and I went to check this place out after seeing your video... Great little mall, cool shops, great grocery store, delicious food and pretty busy...

[@og1885]

The store which named An Lac is selling religion crafts of Buddhism and Taoism. Always, great documentary! Good to see a thriving and interesting mall.

[@Aquaticdragon]

I wish I lived anywhere near this. I need a good (or even one at all...) asian market where I live :(

[@MrMrabaunza]

Come to the San Francisco Bay Area. We have them everywhere.

[@hawktalon7890]

@@MrMrabaunza NorCal as a general is full of them, haha. Lived there for 20 years.

[@rebeccahughes4832]

I found Mekong plaza by accident. Loved the grocery store, great beer selection. The main restaurant had really good dim sum. Will definitely visit if I get back to Mesa

[@ilackedtheheart]

This looks like the shopping center by where I used to work. It was more of a strip mall, but they had this Asian grocery story with other surrounding businesses by the local Vietnamese population as well as other businesses. There was this restaurant next door that made some bomb Bahn Mi sandwiches and coffee as well!

[@ufocatcher3369]

Wow I love this. Probably one of my favorite malls I’ve seen so far on here! If you ever have time and are in North Carolina there’s a small store in Highlands called The Stone Lantern - it’s an Asian antique/cultural shop. It’s probably one of the most soothing, incredible places I’ve ever been. It’s like being in the back yard of Mr. Miyagi. It’s going to close this August though :-(

[@melodiejones7100]

The lucky cats are called maneki-neko. There's different meanings for the left or right hand waving, or both, the color of the cat, whether they're holding a fish, etc. etc. It's very interesting. eBay is a good place to find some different ones.

[@teksal13]

I've heard them called 'beckoning cats'. used to draw customers in to a business.

[@Rc3651]

Probably the best mall in the area, especially if you're big into asian foods. They're very close to ASU and right next to a lightrail station so it sees a lot of traffic from younger folks. They're also really in touch with their local community and have pretty frequent events. One time I went there and there were bouncy castles and food vendors in the parking lot with a stage in the food court where musicians and a magician performed. On the weekends there's also a little old lady in the entryway with a portable griddle who makes these delicious creme filled pastries for like a buck each. It's a thriving mall and for good reason! You definitely could have made a video about how the mall was dying back around 2010- 2011 though when the recession recovery still hadn't quite reached everyone though. The supermarket and the fancy restaurant in the back were basically the anchors but lots of the walkway stores and restaurants closed and were empty for a few years. That boba tea place you went to for example used to be the best goddamned frozen yogurt place I've ever been to. They had all sorts of asian flavors and toppings that no other frozen yogurt place would have. I miss them dearly and even though I'm sure the boba tea place is good I can't quite bring myself to try it haha.

[@Lu-zj6bo]

I grew up in Mesa too and I don’t recall this mall either. I looked it up and was like oh, that’s where it is. Another great video!

[@Y0shiart2]

The minute i saw the Love Live sunshine figurines, I was amazed.

[@htfkid2000]

I'm like "it's ruby!"

[@jeremiahmiller6431]

It's so different from other malls because there's actually a crowd there. Makes me wonder what an experience malls were in the 80's.

[@Melissa2087]

I would love to go to that mall. I love all those chinese, thai, korean places

[@berserk1437]

I used to work here several years ago in the market. It's a chaotic place especially on the weekends. I'm told feels authentic to similar places in Asia. The market is run by a Vietnamese-Chinese family that caters to the filipino population as well. It's one of seven "M.O.M." branded stores, named after the original Manila Oriental Market in California. There's one more in Arizona, AZ International Marketplace down the road but the other's are in California. There's products you can't find anywhere else and they have an amazing selection of fresh herbs and seafood

[@BagoPorkRinds]

This is practically what every asian indoor shopping center with a 99 Ranch Market anchor store up and down the west coast looks like.

[@chrisreynolds6391]

Yes I went to one in Houston!

[@cantinadesigns1]

Hey don't mess with success. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[@danieldaniels7571]

Mekong Sandwiches is one of the valley's best kept secrets. Unfortunately it's not accessible from within the mall.

[@hali2715]

So neat! I'm Asian living in Arkansas and I wish we had more places like this

[@somphopp7582]

The "An Lac" shop is selling Bushism stuffs not really for decorating like the ealier shop and Mekong is the name of the river in southeast asia.

[@Eclispestar]

Nice to see a vibrant place like that. So many giant bleak places.

[@squigburger]

Mekong plaza is really cool. Diagonally across the intersection of Dobson and Main is where the long gone Tri City Mall used to be.

[@harrynothairy196]

You remind me of Dan Bell, in a good way tho. Loving the content !

[@jonathancreveling5658]

This mall opened in 2008, but it amazingly looks lile a 70s and 80s mall!

[@rodolfoescontrias9846]

I love your videos, you seem like a genuinely nice guy and I enjoy your videos. I’m from Phoenix and I love seeing you go to places that I’ve been to when I was a child.

[@NoMorePedals]

Never thought I'd see Love Live in a Retail Archaeology video. Worlds collide.

[@toimaru6986]

I love going there! The roll ice cream is so good

[@sprkl5d]

Great video!! This mall looks awesome!! I love Asian food and the shops looks like they'd be fun to look in. Makes me want to move to Arizona ASAP!!

[@irtbmtind89]

If you like Japanese beer you should try to get your hands on some Hitachino Nest.

[@brucebogucki1232]

I went here, and I love the boba place, the hing king gifts

[@Lach90]

Aww, I liked how you found some coffee

[@gustavo733]

o man. I used to shop there often back in 2009 2010 when I was living in Mesa. this brings back memories

[@RabidPrairieDog]

As an Asian, I love introducing Asian stores and restaurants to my non-Asian friends.

[@gman83090]

My grandfather actually lives part time on the Mekong River up in Thailand on the border of Lao

[@CybrBunny]

honestly I shop here every week !! Everything is so delicious and the fruits and veggies are always fresh so is the meat

[@francisphillips53]

Great to see a mall doing well.. thats awesome!

[@gaslitworldf.melissab2897]

Geez. It's 3:30 am in MI. I forgot you guys are behind us and it's still daytime there. I saw that you've already spotted my comments and I thought, not another night owl or insomniac. I feel suddenly like I'm missing out not living in AZ, but I can't take the heat. Someday, I'll have to visit, during the coolest season there. Lol. Maybe you can show me around (for a fee).

[@BigKevin1194]

I've been at this place many times and I like going here

[@kitgaskins92]

Asian culture is beautiful.

[@daviselliott4812]

I’m from Dallas, and we have tons of these kind of “Asian based shopping centers” all throughout the metroplex, due to us having a large Asian population (I believe Texas is the number one in Asian population growth, but I could be wrong). I love going trough these kind of places, and definitely recommend you stop by one of these places if your ever in DFW!

[@FanstasiaAlchemist]

It's so much fun omg, I haven't been to the one in Garland in so long.

[@lldjwhyteell]

Same here in H-Town......Hong Kong Mall on Bellaire!

[@evea1709]

Dave berkens do you have a favorite one or too you recommend? I’ll be in Dallas next week and would love to check one out but I’m only there for a couple days

[@daviselliott4812]

@@evea1709 The two I enjoy visiting the most are New and Old Koreatowns in Carrolton/Royal Ln and Legacy hall in Plano. The New Koreatown is more "flashy" than its older sibling, you can find things like Hmart, Karaoke, Korean spa, and many styles of Korean food restaurants. For the old Koreatown, you can find some of the most popular Korean restaurants in the whole of DFW. I enjoy both equally, so you can take your pick between the two. Legacy hall in Plano is kind of a Japanese-Chinese mix, with one section having Mitsuwa, a Japanese Market, and different types of Japanese food, and the other section having Jusgo, a Chinese market, and more Chinese related foods and services. I like this place because you get to sample foods and goods from all over East Asia. There are many other places to check out, Like Old Chinatown in Richardson or Asia Times Square in Grand Prairie (Vietnamese oriented), Cali Saigon Mall in Garland, among others.

[@evea1709]

Dave berkens thank you! I tried googling and all I found was Asia Times Square and Cali signon mall. I will for sure look into going to the first two you mentioned

[@absolutenosense]

Cool, I've seen this place from the outside but didn't know it was a mall 😊

[@EzraM5]

This place looks amazing! Just for that beer selection alone, I absolutely love Kirin!

[@zcb477]

i feel like there's another different "Chinese cultural mall" in phoenix which had a lot of similar stores and an asian grocery store. I remember buying a lot of HK movies there!

[@berserk1437]

Chinese Cultural Center near downtown Phoenix. It was closed in 2017 and the Chinese elements were removed in 2022,. It has a wikipedia article, what happened was really messy and corporate. I suppose it's for the better. I only wish the Ranch Market there had moved to a better location. It moved close to the House of Rice store in Scottsdale but it never took off

[@Sonikbytes]

They have a good Vietnamese sandwich store like Lee sandwiches and next an interesting giant store with herbs for a traditional Chinese medicine nut

[@danieldaniels7571]

That place is called Mekong Sandwiches. They’re delicious. I’ve been going there since their grand opening. They make killer smoothies, too.

[@Xosidhe]

Get packages of seasoned jackfruit if you want to try it from places like Whole Foods. It’s in the refrigerated fake meat section. I tried a pulled pork style one.

[@hotdogstockimage]

Very nice and well done

[@woodtvnetwork]

Love your videos. I will be checking out this place tomorrow. Next time you are in Tucson you should come to Lee Lee Oriental super market if you haven't already. It is pretty big for what it is.

[@petermgruhn]

There was a big Chinese plaza here, 33°27'20.11" N 111°59'18.92" W, but it looks beat down.

[@Mengjoanne]

That place is awesome!

[@john-ambrosecox226]

Jack fruit tastes like Juicy Fruit gum. The younger jack fruit is used as a meat substitute due to its texture.

[@anavarrette83]

Can you please do one on Scottsdale's Fashion square mall after the covid-19 outbreak?

[@sosickly]

huh this place looks interesting. i always loved the waving cats they’re so cute. where i live, theres a big area where a lot of koreans live and the restaurants there are honestly to die for the food is so good

[@Chocolate6mac8]

This was very interesting, and I've been to China Town in Philly!

[@vagrantwastrel]

I hear the CD-i Tetris soundtrack in the background...

[@nicholasshade]

I love the dragon statues. 🐉 I love the Asian theme. I love the laughing Buddha statue. Our friend Tony is over. And I think it was Shawn and my uncle Don was over while I was still in bed. 🛌

[@lifewithtodd7870]

Wow this was more interesting then I thought

[@roadtrip2943]

South a few blocks in the new H mart, AZ international mkt , get your wok on

[@KhurtKhave669]

Thanks for the video! I thought it was just another strip mall; I'll have to go check it out.

[@AndrewBarsky]

After having living in China for an entire year, my heart longs for Asian-American style stores. Places like this are entirely normal in China, however there is a special ‘vibe’ about these sort of places appearing in America.

[@kingpetra6886]

We could use a supermarket like that in our town.

[@johnwalsh7256]

Very interesting theme mall

[@peteszerszen7370]

It's like an Asian Power Square, I love it! Was the supermarket maybe a Borders Books at one point? At 6:51, the yellow barrel vaulted ceiling with the square skylights was a feature of some early-'90s Borders stores. I don't think AZ got Borders until around 2006 though.

[@xImageBreakerx]

No, it was built around 2008 after a Target was demolished for it.

[@DeathToDrugUsers21]

The background music sound in the 1st half sounds JUST like a song that would of played in the original Deus Ex

[@00Mandy00]

There is a very similar one in SLC.

[@thevacdude]

I'm 25% Japanese, so I'm sure I'd enjoy the market, I'm familiar with some of the items in there, I bet you they had green tea Kit Kat, but you didn't look. Thanks for the tour.

[@kurisu7885]

Damn, wish I had a place like this near me.

[@MrTutoryou]

You should make a second video now that the bao shop has opened there. Pretty tasty xiao long bao

[@wolvsbain]

IM a 30 min walk from here and a 5 min drive. never went in. Ill have to check it out. I really miss the Chinese cultural center and the mini pancakes

[@TheKitchmonster]

love that place!!! We get our fresh lobster there

[@PapipuJP]

This used to be a Target that was a FedMart.

[@Lucas-qo5go]

I live a half mile from here. I love this place

[@Estabanwatersaz]

Where is this mall? I'm in PHX I-17 @ Camelback Rd. Thanks

[@Lucas-qo5go]

@@Estabanwatersaz its Dobson and Broadway. Kinda far from where you are

[@Estabanwatersaz]

My wife is Filipino. Distance and time has no meaning to her as long as I am driving. Lol Thank you so so very much dear friend! Happy fourth!

[@TH-xo4zx]

This is america. And that is why its fucking great!

[@Neku628]

Man you are lucky!

[@FanstasiaAlchemist]

Can't lie, heading "MEE-kong" is really bothering me but I understand it depends where you learn the pronunciation from because it's always been "Meh-kong" to me.

[@Lawlzinator]

5:14 This is the same thing my ex said, but my nose never adjusted to it :( xD

[@ghostballs1874]

Do you know what Lee Lee international market used to be?

[@Crackrzz]

My heart is breaking. This place looks amazing, and it's probably shuttered now, possibly indefinitely. Sigh.

[@logank6261]

The mall’s anchor being a supermarket is a saving grace in this case, it’s probably still open as an essential business and I’m sure there are a lot of folks who solely depend on it for groceries.

[@xImageBreakerx]

Nope. Been open 10 years and still going strong.

[@Crackrzz]

@@xImageBreakerx Awesome! ^_^

[@Crackrzz]

This place reminds me a lot of the malls in Chinatown in Montreal and Toronto. But those seemed to be dying even before all this. :/

[@joseescobedo7899]

People would be surprised when it comes to Asian products

[@cookiesareyum1043]

My parents go their all the time to buy groceries

[@mikelonas4508]

I always wanted to live next to a mall that has Asian themed stores and restaurants, I love Asian culture.

[@IronMkT682]

I wonder if the cheap vietnamese sandwich shop is still there.

[@N.G.H.]

I thought meikong has been around since before 2008 cuz I remember going there as a kid in 2004 and whatever

[@gman83090]

Have to be careful with durian fruit it wrecks and it’s smells like rotten eggs that’s the reason why airlines and over in Thailand ban it from being carried in the cabin and as cargo it can stink out the cabin of a aircraft

[@ckrtom2]

Was here in August 2019. Nice your thoughts. My impression not quite as favorable. I thought all the product spilling into the mall circulation made it feel cluttered. It feels like storage out in the open to me...Had a hard time finding the shopping carts to the south of the grocery entrance.

[@y.bowcat7782]

there's a weird mall like this here in Greensboro too called Fantacity. the main attraction is an Asian market big enough to hold many smaller satellite stores and even formerly held a flea market in the back. there's two buildings, and besides the stores visible from the facades (which is quite a few stores tbf) the place has very little going on besides a karaoke and a food court.

[@chrislewis615]

Possibly the largest Asian mall in North America's is Toronto's Pacific Mall. It has hundreds of small stalls, instead of regular mall stores. But often they over focus on electronics, cell phone cases, so it is not really all that great. And a haven for organized crime. But it's HUGE.

[@joseescobedo7899]

I have yet to find a Latin culture themed mall....

[@marginelouis6674]

in atanta i think theres a mexican one (not a wide variety of latin, I know)

[@petermgruhn]

UCC!

[@KYLETIBOR]

Not "mee-kong", it is pronounced "Meh-kong".

[@mightyshark5557]

I found a mall and it’s so tiny it doesn’t have a name

[@gaslitworldf.melissab2897]

Geez. I'd come there just to visit Mekong Mall. I don't care if it's mass produced or not. I'm a commoner. No blue blood in these veins. I like the Pier One Imports look, but my taste is probably more eclectic than anything. (Fresh fish doesn't smell bad. It's light. So, they're not cleaning thoroughly enough).

[@mikegrazick684]

The food there, must be LOADED with salt. It must be tasty,but have a salty after taste. That is the only bad thing about places like that; salt and MSG in ever thing at the food court. Yikes!