Push to Make Dallas Neighborhood Designated as Koreatown

There's a new push to bring more recognition to a neighborhood of Dallas known for being a hub of Korean American culture.

Among those businesses along Royal Lane is 9Rabbits Bakery. Grace Koo, the Korean American owner of the 7-year-old business, says she knows the cultural history of the area goes back for years.

"When I first moved to Dallas, this was what I knew was the original Koreatown where the first wave of immigrants came and settled their businesses," Koo said.

Koo says she would love the see the area get an official designation as Koreatown.

"It's nice to have and bring some tourism here and galvanize the neighborhood again," Koo said.

The Greater Dallas Korean American Chamber of Commerce is behind the push to get the Koreatown designation for the area. "I think it's significant for us to put that on the map and for people to understand where that is," board member John Lee said.

Lee said this will help bring visitors to the area.

"For those people that are wanting to experience something and don't know where to go, the fact that we have something designated would speak loud for the cultural diversity," Lee said.

Lee added an official Koreatown designation could bring in community development funding.

"I think there will be more people willing to donate and provide grants and whatnot to continue to revamp that area and beautify it," Lee said.

The area already holds significance to the Korean community. Now, they want others to know where they are and to come experience it.

"It's long overdue and I think they deserve it and this street deserves it," Koo said.