A Neighborhood Threatened: The North 5th Street Corridor and Korean Business Flight

This study examines a Korean business community's potential for movement out of the city of Philadelphia. The research is based on three months of fieldwork at various Korean businesses in North Philadelphia, from 5100 to 6100 North 5th Street. This area is a major commercial district for the Olney community, a district that has a high proportion of Korean businesses. The author concluded that the Korean business community will leave the city in the near future for three main reasons. First, the Korean population in Philadelphia is moving out of the city while there is an influx of Koreans into the suburbs. The businesses will follow the Korean population. Second, the businesses themselves show direct and indirect signs of movement. The increasing African Americanization of the neighborhood combined with the racial prejudice that Korean business owners displayed against blacks was the final indicator of potential movement. Because Korean businesses leaving the area could potentially destabilize the district, the effects can be mitigated by initiating policies to bring business owners back to the area.