Deserted Vietnamese street in Australia

Near noon on Sunday, February 25, Ms. Lien, owner of Tan My store, stood looking out onto Nicholson Street.few people pass by in the areaFootscray,Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

"Goods are selling very slowly now. Many Vietnamese people have moved to other areas after the Little Saigon shopping mall burned down," Ms. Lien told reporters.VnExpress.The grocery store of a woman originally from Ho Chi Minh City has a full range of dry foods, candies and canned goods.

At the end of 2016, a crowded Vietnamese market here caught fire, destroying many stalls.burned withdamage of more than 12 million Australian dollarsThis placeincludes restaurants, Asian markets selling fruits, vegetables, food, cakes and many other items.

According toABC News,Loc Lam, who has co-owned the market for more than 20 years, believes the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. He said the fire caused extensive damage and had a serious impact on the local Vietnamese community. He pledged to rebuild the market, but said it could take years.

Settled in Footscray since 1980,Once owned a large fruit and vegetable stall in Little Saigon, Ms. Lien said that at that time she had 10-15 workers but could not keep up with the load because of the busy flow of customers.Refused to disclose damage after 2016 fire,She said the family also opened a stall at Footscray Market, which is owned by Australians.about a kilometer away, but business was not as good.

From the outside, Little Saigon looks deserted, with shuttered doors. The entire wall near the main street is covered with colorful paintings, seemingly to dispel the gloom inside.

"Those paintings are"The project was implemented with the support of the local government. We don't know where the owner of Little Saigon is now," said Mr. Minh, a restaurant owner across from the old market.

Also living in Footscray for nearly 40 years, Mr. Minh, a native of Tay Ninh, said that in the past, there were thousands of vehicles of all kinds coming and going every day.Little Saigon, now almost deserted. Some Vietnamese traders have moved to Footscray Market like Ms. Lien, but this area is closed on Sundays and Fridays. "I call it the posh market," Mr. Minh said jokingly.

There are some shops in the area that are still bustling with customers, such as Tan Thanh Loi rice shop and Hung Vuong pho. Because they are busy, the staff here all refused to share about business after the market fire.

Be more friendly, even if you have to.eat lunch in the middle of the afternoon to make it for the guests,cHi Van, owner of Vivi Hair Salon, said business is relatively stable now. However, compared to before the Little Saigon fire, the number of customers has decreased by about 30%.

Explaining the sharp decline in revenue of many small traders,Lien, owner of Tan My store, thinks that because the stores are scattered on the streets,Customers do not find it convenient to go shopping.

"Now I'm the only one working at this store, my children are busy with other things. Normally, there are a few more helpers. Everyone around is in the same situation," said Ms. Lien.