Grand Central Market, a historic food hall in downtown LA, has experienced a significant decrease in foot traffic recently. Typically bustling, the market has become desolate as fears surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and anti-ICE protests take their toll. Longtime vendors like Martha Luna, who has served at China Cafe for over 40 years, report that regular patrons are afraid to visit. Newer vendors, traditionally busy, also note a stark drop in customers, reflecting the broader impact on local businesses amid immigration-related tensions.
This week, even at peak hours, tables sat empty, with the market losing business due to ICE raids and anti-ICE protests.
‘Everybody's afraid, you know? When they come, they're just talking about [how] they're afraid to go out,’ said Martha Luna, a longtime server.
‘We are typically one of the vendors that stays busy throughout the week. Now, business has dramatically dropped,’ noted Amy Recinos, from Villa's Tacos.
Collection
[
|
...
]