Aji Ichiban Flagship Vacates Mott Street
Photo: Karlin Chan
Another long-term Chinatown staple just closed its doors.
Aji Ichiban cleared its shelves and vacated the flagship location at 37 Mott Street last week. Ending more than twenty years of retail on this spot.
The Hong Kong-based candy chain counts franchises worldwide, but the Mott Street outpost was the first established on the east coast after a local businesswoman bought a franchise. It quickly became a neighborhood favorite, selling higher end quality Chinese traditional candies, dried fruits, nuts, and my favorite, dried scallops, along with a myriad of western candies. Aji Ichiban was also a destination for tour groups that would venture in to sample the local fare.
While restaurants continue to shutter citywide due to the economic fallout from coronavirus, Aji Ichiban was apparently more a victim of the ongoing saber rattling and US trade war with China.
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