Vendors selling Asian food banned from River Park farmer's market and street eats

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It each started past week erstwhile thoroughfare vendors selling Asian nutrient received a substance connection telling them they could nary longer merchantability astatine the River Park Shopping Center.

They were told the crushed had to bash with complaints from onsite businesses, leaving immoderate vendors looking for a caller root of income.

"I was precise taken aback. I was speechless, and I conscionable had a infinitesimal to process. Is this right? Can they bash that?" said Natalie Sakkakhanaune-Simmavong with Sticky Rice connected Wheels.

Natalie and her household person owned Sticky Rice connected Wheels for astir 5 years, selling chiefly astatine the Riverpark Shopping Center connected Tuesdays during the Farmers Market oregon connected Saturdays during Fresno Street Eats.

Last Saturday was their past time, due to the fact that they received a substance from organizers saying, "I conscionable got a telephone from River Park that due to the fact that of complaints from restaurants connected site, we'll person to destruct each Asian nutrient from our events effectual immediately."

"It made maine consciousness truly disgusted. I was truly wounded initially, much of disappointment due to the fact that I thought we were amended than this," said Sakkakhanaune-Simmavong.

The farmer's marketplace has won the champion successful Central California 8 years successful a row.

This determination would get escaped of astir a twelve of its vendors spanning 8 antithetic cultures from Hmong to Japanese.

"I don't cognize wherefore you'd get escaped of specified large food," said Elliot Nuss, a River Park customer.

"They should combat it. They should spot wherever this is coming from due to the fact that this is unusual, particularly successful our community," said Tina Griffith, different customer.

In a statement, Riverpark said it has a "commitment to its tenants that it indispensable support and grant with integrity."

They spell connected to accidental that vendors should complement the tenants, not straight vie with them.

This is not the archetypal clip definite nutrient items oregon goods person been banned from the markets, according to organizers.

Things similar pizza, hamburgers, and sushi are connected the database of things that are not to beryllium sold owed to contention with existing storefronts.

"I recognize if it's a prohibition connected full nutrient vendors due to the fact that they're taking distant concern from each over, I get it, but we're a tiny concern and this is prohibition specifically connected each Asian nutrient trucks and each Asian vendors," said Sakkakhanaune-Simmavong.

It's unclear what concern filed the complaint, but the radical that owns Spicy J's, J-Pot, and O-iza astatine River Park has spoken out, saying, "We person nary engagement successful this determination and were not consulted connected the matter."

River Park, on with Fresno Street Eats and the farmer's market, said they volition "be engaging collaboratively to reappraisal each participants and their idiosyncratic offerings, careless of background."

We did scope retired to River Park for further comment, but person not heard back.

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