The spine of Anaheim's Little Arabia neighborhood runs along Brookhurst Street, from La Palma Avenue on the northern end down to Garden Grove Boulevard. Outside of the Detroit area, this slice of Orange County has the largest concentration of Middle Eastern businesses anywhere in the U.S. Hoping to attract more customers, the Arab American community and local businesses have spent years pushing city officials to recognize the neighborhood. In 2022, they finally got their wish.
LA Times columnist and KCRW contributor Gustavo Arrellano, who was born and raised in Anaheim, celebrates the decision. He says Altayebat Market is one of the pioneering family-owned businesses in the area. Dating back to the 1980s, its aisles are packed with condiments and other delicious foodstuffs. Across the street, Kareem Hawari's parents, Mike and Nesrine, opened Palestinian restaurant Kareem's in the '90s. Arellano says they serve some of the best falafel he has ever had. After his father passed away more than a decade ago, Kareem took over the business and now runs it with his mother.
Two decades ago, the area was called "Little Gaza," although, as Arellano points out, it was popular with Arabs from many countries. When he was editor of the OC Weekly, he spent roughly a decade covering the lobbying efforts for an official name change. Rashad Al-Dabbagh has been at the forefront of that push. Rida Hamida, who operates Taco Trucks at Every Mosque, which brings together the Arab and Latino communities through food, has also been crucial in this effort. In August of last year, the Anaheim City Council voted to recognize the neighborhood as "Little Arabia."