Night markets are markets, too
Last week, the city of Los Angeles permanently shuttered a thriving commercial and cultural zone — one that helped hundreds of struggling residents get back on their feet after a year of COVID lockdowns. The Avenue 26 Night Market emerged spontaneously along the streets and sidewalks of a Latino working-class neighborhood. In April, here’s how L.A. Times reporter Brittny Mejia described it : As sunset nears, a temporary town appears along a short stretch of industrial Lincoln Heights. It has its own regulations, waste management system and at least 100 businesses selling acrylic nails, earrings, weed pipes and mouthwatering burgers, asada tacos and mini pancakes. Along the cracked asphalt, on weekends, a DJ plays music as crowds dance and drink out of clay cups rimmed red with Chamoy. The businesses operate mostly under canopies or out of pushcarts. Vendors wait for workers at the warehouses along Artesian Street to finish for the day so they can move into empty parking spots and ...