Post #455656 by congawa on Fri, May 22, 2009 3:16 PM

I live a couple miles west of there, and Hawaiian Gardens has been bad for years. When you cross east under the 605 freeway, or come west over the river from Cypress in Orange County you immediately notice the difference.

This PDF on the City's website has a photo of the fruit stand hut on p. 15:

http://www.hgcity.org/History/HG%20History%202.pdf

Another one of those myth vs. reality So Cal things is the fact that that the Carson/Wilmington/West Long Beach area has probably the largest Pacific Islander population (particularly Samoan/Tongan/Cook) in the U.S. outside of the islands, but it is heavily gang-plagued. A Polynesian festival in Carson last year was cut short by a fight between Samoan and Tongan gang members which resulted in a death. The Sons of Samoa have been the most feared gang in Long Beach for years, because even though they are less in numbers than the gangs of other ethnic persuasions, they have a strong familial connection and stick together through thick and thin. Very few of them (in fact, I would wager none) sip Mai Tais or wear vintage Ui Maikai shirts. It is one of the ironies of the Puka Bar being located where it is, in the heart of the Sons of Samoa region.