Ethnic Retailing

Ethnic retailing is not only essential to immigrant community life, but also has become a distinct and increasingly important component of the urban retail system by supporting a growing sub-market driven by large immigrant populations. However, our knowledge of the nature and dynamics of ethnic retailing is still limited, especially in relation to its spatial and physical dimensions. Questions regarding locations, sizes, retail forms, development patterns, identity construction, and processes and mechanisms underlying visual changes in streetscapes remain largely unanswered. The differences between ethnic and mainstream retailing have caused a series of conflicts among planners and the public. This chapter explores the nature of ethnic retail activities and their impact on urban space, as well as the role that public policy and associated stakeholders have in addressing related issues and the role in their final resolution. As ethnic retailing evolves from a niche to the mainstream, there is a growing need to explore the processes underlying the spatial and physical changes of ethnic retail so as to better accommodate ethnic businesses, facilitate the expression of ethnic identity in the commercial landscape, and to realise the economic potential of immigrant entrepreneurs. Fundamentally, the impacts of ethnic retailing and the ethnic consumer are complex and far-reaching. There is an increasing need for debate between policy-makers and the stakeholders involved in ethnic retail development and business formation – so that the land-use planners, developers, and business owners/investors (including retailers) can better understand the dynamics and complexities of ethnic retailing and the communities and consumers that they serve.