Dodger fans are gathering in Little Tokyo as the Los Angeles team takes on the New York Mets for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. Olivia Garvey reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024.
After Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers last December, Little Tokyo has seen a resurgence for many small businesses.
Don Tahara, who owns Far Bar in Little Tokyo, said business has gotten busier especially after he decided to give away free sake bombs for every home run hit by Ohtani.
He said that when Ohtani hit three home runs in one game against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 19, they almost ran out of sake.
“The people in Little Tokyo obviously have a lot of pride in Shohei doing well and a lot of our customers who are not Dodger fans are now Dodger fans and so it's good for the Dodgers, it's good for Little Tokyo,” said Tahara.
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Just across the street from the bar, the giant 150-foot mural of the Dodger superstar by Robert Vargas also has helped revitalize the area.
"(Businesses) been so hard hit during COVID," Vargas said. "Helping contribute to the commerce of the area … was part of the intention as well. It's an incredible thing to look at."
Tahara also said after the mural was complete, more people are visiting Little Tokyo, which means for patrons for Far Bar.
The mural appeared to create a sense of renewal for the community as well, according to Vargas.
"This is Dodger town now. I brought this project to the Miyako Hotel as a way of allied ship and bringing unity and bridging cultures here in Little Tokyo," said Vargas, a Boyle Heights native who grew up across the bridge from Little Tokyo.
On Monday, he will begin painting a mural of former Dodger player Fernando Valenzuela in Boyle Heights, set to unveil on Nov. 1.
