Location Profile: Pacific Mall

The Largest Indoor Asian Mall in North America

Feb 6, 2008 Kevin Chan

Welcome to Pacific Mall, where you can experience Asian culture while being thousands of miles away from the continent!

Like much of Toronto’s suburbs, Markham is a sparsely populated region, with communities separated by blocks of urban sprawl. In the past decade, Markham has seen its Asian population increase rapidly, every year bringing more immigrants from overseas, as well as Torontonians seeking better housing or a new environment. As Toronto considers cultural development and diversity an important part of its city image, the city promotes events and organizations that help sustain the collage of different backgrounds that makes Toronto the city it is. This in turn helps Asians who have lived in Toronto for years and yet never had the opportunity to truly delve into their past and culture.

When this mix, of people who hardly speaking English and are seeking a venue of expression and entertainment, to Asians who have already settled into Toronto but seek a taste of home away from home, come together, they’ll something unique in Markham. A mall dedicated to the preservation of Asian uniqueness and culture, one that welcomes people of all ethnicity to come and see the new and old of the Orient—this is Pacific Mall.

Located in north Toronto, Pacific Mall proudly holds the title of the ‘largest indoor Asian mall in North America’. For its size in geography, Pacific does not disappoint in variety: customers have 500 shops to browse, from food boutiques, to clothing and appliance stores, to the latest in Asian technology and entertainment. To promote its Asian roots, Pacific Mall has a section known as the "Pacific Heritage Town", where visitors can buy souvenir-type items for their friends, or sample traditional foods and delicacies, as well as enjoy feature performances of dance and music.

While a strip of malls and Asian cuisine and entertainment venues has developed north of Pacific Mall (Highway 7), Pacific Mall still holds the gold-mark as the standard for Asians looking to have a good time with friends or family. But have no fear, even with the incredible number of Chinese (who mainly populate Pacific Mall), the mall boasts a parking capacity of 1,500 spots—although this limit is oft challenged during Chinese New Year and other holidays. Unlike other stores around Toronto, Pacific Mall is open even on statutory holidays, making it a favourite spot for holiday partiers bored at home and looking for fun!

For more information about Pacific Mall, visit www.pacificmalltoronto.com, or better yet, visit the mall itself and experience North America’s largest indoor Asian mall for yourself!

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