A Southeast Asian Marketplace in Appleton will expand to support more small businesses, vendors, and community events
MADISON, WI. JULY 9, 2026 – A landmark Southeast Asian marketplace in Appleton is undergoing a major renovation that will expand opportunities for small businesses, strengthen economic activity, and further establish the property as a culturally significant neighborhood commercial hub.
The $1.4 million dollar renovation project will position Long Cheng Marketplace, located at 1804 S. Lawe Street in Appleton, as the premier destination for cultural commerce, entrepreneurship, community, and economic gatherings. The improvements will expand opportunities for vendors, food businesses, and community events while enhancing the customer experience, increasing business visibility, improving accessibility, and strengthening the long-term functionality and sustainability of the facility.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is assisting the project with a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant.
“At WEDC, we want to help create communities where every entrepreneur has the ability to thrive,” said John W. Miller, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s leading economic development organization. “Long Cheng MarketPlace is giving small business owners that chance while also serving as a cultural hub for Southeast Asian communities in the Appleton area.”
Miller was at the marketplace today for an announcement about the award and plans for the project.
Long Cheng Marketplace is a commercial marketplace and small business hub dedicated to supporting immigrant, refugee, and historically underserved entrepreneurs, with a strong focus on Southeast Asian communities.
It leases affordable space to small businesses, artisans, and food vendors, which offer culturally specific cuisine, prepared foods, specialty groceries, and retail goods. Many of the vendors are first-generation business owners who face barriers, such as limited access to capital, language challenges, and lack of traditional business networks.
In addition to its economic impact, Long Cheng Marketplace serves as a gathering place for the broader community through cultural celebrations, educational programs, business events, and a seasonal farmers market.
As one of the largest Southeast Asian commercial and cultural destinations in Northeast Wisconsin, Long Cheng Marketplace serves thousands of visitors annually while creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, artists, food vendors, and small business owners to reach new customers and grow their businesses.
“Long Cheng Marketplace was created to be more than a place to shop. It is a place where culture, entrepreneurship, and community come together,” said Maiyoua Thao, founder and CEO of Long Cheng Marketplace. “This investment allows us to create more opportunities for small business owners, many of whom are first-generation entrepreneurs, while preserving and celebrating the cultures that make our community unique. We are building a space where businesses can grow, families can connect, and future generations can see themselves represented.”
Renovations will include exterior and interior facility improvements designed to modernize the marketplace, improve functionality for vendors and customers, increase accessibility, enhance gathering spaces, and support future business growth. Planned improvements include parking lot upgrades, building exterior enhancements, banquet and event space renovations, commercial kitchen improvements, and infrastructure updates that will improve the overall visitor experience.
The project reflects a continued investment in entrepreneurship, cultural preservation, and economic opportunity within Appleton’s growing and diverse business community.
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