"          In the 1970s, thousands of Vietnamese war refugees fled their native land, desperately seeking a new beginning, free of political persecution for themselves and their children. Many of those refugees settled just north of downtown Orlando and began opening businesses and revitalizing a fairly lackluster part of the city.

          Now, dozens of Asian restaurants, shops and markets line a 10-block stretch of Orlando's Colonial Drive near Mills Avenue. Though most of the storefronts are decorated with Vietnamese characters, there is no shortage of Chinese, Thai, Korean and other Asian establishments. A stroll through the area also reveals an impressive number of Asian-owned medical and dental offices, nail salons, travel agencies, health food centers, martial arts studios, Boba tea shops and music and video stores. There's even a karaoke bar and a martial arts weapons store.

          This area, home to the largest Vietnamese community in the state, once was called "Little Vietnam" by locals and visitors. Recently, however, the neighborhood was rebranded the "Mills 50 District," as part of the Orlando Main Street Program. The new name reflects the major intersection here – Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive (SR 50) – but it doesn't quite capture the essence of the area. It is a place that beckons to visitors, a genuine and real-life attraction just a short drive from the nearby theme-park wonderlands.          "

Source:
Ketcham. (2012) "The evolving identity of Orlando's Little Vietnam";
Publisher: Tampa Bay Times. https://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/florida/the-evolving-identity-of-orlandos-little-vietnam/1249690/