Economic Development on Stockton

           Shoppers on Stockton Street have a wide selection of businesses to choose from; Stockton Street is a one stop street for everything. Stores on Stockton Street sells various items from groceries to household good and have provide services from banking to travel agencies. Stockton Street is one of the largest streets where grocery store and food stores dominate. As there are many competing grocery stores that sell the same products, competition for the most business and who can sell a product for its cheapest price is a challenge for most stores. Some grocery stores sell groceries at wholesale prices to gain the most profit. The amount of large grocery stores located on Stockton Street allows the shopper to get the best price for its products but it’s a constant challenge for grocery store business owners. 

          Due to the cheap prices for groceries, it attracts residents from all over Bay Area. Although Stockton Street is extremely overcrowded, it does not deter customers from traveling from other districts and cities to purchase its goods. Not only does the cheap prices attract their customers, but also the comfort of a Chinese speaking environment and Chinese goods that are not present in American groceries stores such as Albertsons.  Another reason why businesses are doing very well on Stockton street is due to its nearby proximity to bus stops, especially the 30, 8x, and 45. 

          The majority of buildings on Stockton street are small businesses.  On Stockton street, the majority of the buildings are zoned under the classification "CRNC", which represents buildings that are residential and neighborhood commercial. Chinatown is the second most densely populated area in America and because of this, all space within Chinatown is very valuable to the Chinatown community. Most of the buildings in Chinatown are only allowed to be four stories tall because of the zoning law enacted in Chinatown to prevent gentrification. The zoning law enacted in Chinatown allows small  family businesses to grow and at the same time prevents large chain corporations to move into the area. 


          Businesses within Chinatown do not have a great need for English speaking employees which attracts Chinese speaking workers from all around the Bay Area. Through an informal interview with an employee from Gourmet Delight BBQ, a reason why he continues to work in a Chinese food deli is because he cannot find work elsewhere due to his inability to speak English. He travels every day by public transportation from the Sunset District to Chinatown. He says that he would like a change in employment but the language barrier disables him from finding work elsewhere.