Mimi Luong is the owner of Truong An Gifts located in the Far East Center in Denver’s Little Saigon.

Forced to flee their home after the Vietnam War in 1975, Mimi Luong’s father left behind a business, community, and everything he knew in Saigon, Vietnam. Luong’s father, Thanh, started over in Denver, Colorado with nothing but a roll of quarters. Living in a basement with 19 other family members, Thanh began working at his local King Sooper’s. Thanh dreamt of one day having his own grocery store that would sell Asian groceries with spices and seasonings from his home country. In 1985, Thanh, along with his brothers Thong and Nghia, began building the Far East Center in hopes of uniting their spread out family businesses and creating a hub for the Asian immigrant community in Colorado.

It was here that Mimi grew up, running around the plaza and doing her homework after school while her parents, aunts, and uncles ran their shops. Once having sold VHS tapes of Asian films, Mimi’s store, Truong An Gifts, now sells a wide variety of Asian gifts, herbs, teas, dishware, snacks, and jewelry. Walking into Truong An Gifts, you will most likely be greeted by the same man that built the plaza with his brothers over 38 years ago. Mimi’s parents have continued to work in the shop to this day. Mimi strives to maintain the Far East Center’s cultural vibrancy, organizing annual Lunar New Year celebrations and Mid-Autumn festivals at the plaza. Despite the violent displacement and pressures of assimilation the Luong family faced, they have continued to hold onto their culture and build community.