Danh Quach
Encyclopedia
Quách Nhứt Danh often referred to as Danh Quach or Danh Nhut Quach, is a Vietnamese American
businessman and one of the "pioneers" of Orange County
's Little Saigon
. He was a pharmacist
in Saigon, Vietnam
, but fled in 1975 with his wife, nine-year old son, seven-year old daughter, and sister, after the Fall of Saigon
brought the Vietnam War
to an end; he first settled in Arkansas
' Fort Chaffee
region before moving to Lincoln
, Nebraska
to attend pharmacy school
again at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
, from which he graduated in May 1977. Following his graduation, he lived briefly in Missouri
and Connecticut
, but eventually gravitated to Westminster
, California
due to the warmer weather and friends who had preceded him there. He opened his pharmacy on Bolsa Avenue in Orange County
, California
in 1978, selling not only medicine, but electrical appliances, bicycle seats, and a variety of other goods; less than 10 years after his arrival, he had already achieved financial success. He soon branched out into other businesses, including freight forwarding; by 1988, he was sending 10,000 pounds of goods to Vietnam each month, a business fueled by the U.S. embargo
against Vietnam, which led Vietnamese Americans to send much-needed supplies to their relatives who remained in Vietnam. By 1989, he had taken money earned from his small business success to become a real estate investor; his pharmacy would become the heart of Little Saigon
. Eventually, he shrank his original store to about a third of its former size in order to make room for his son to move his medical practice in next door.
Beginning in January 1999, he became involved in a political controversy when he served an 30-day eviction notice to a tenant in a shopping center he owned for inciting a nuisance there. The tenant was displaying a photo of Ho Chi Minh
and a flag of Vietnam
in the window of his video store; angered by the store owner's pro-Communist display, local residents protested outside of the store for four days before a judge ruled that the store owner had to take down the picture and flag. However, a Superior Court
judge reversed the decision the following month. The tenant required an escort of one hundred police officers to take him to his store the following day and protect him from protesters while he rehung the flag. The tenant, disappointed that his landlord, the police, and the city of Westminster had "failed to protect [his] free speech rights", filed another lawsuit against them a year later.
Vietnamese American
A Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....
businessman and one of the "pioneers" of Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
's Little Saigon
Little Saigon
Little Saigon is a name given to any of several overseas Vietnamese immigrant and descendant communities outside Vietnam, usually in the United States...
. He was a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
in Saigon, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, but fled in 1975 with his wife, nine-year old son, seven-year old daughter, and sister, after the Fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...
brought the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
to an end; he first settled in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
' Fort Chaffee
Fort Chaffee
Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is in the northwest Arkansas region adjacent to the city of Fort Smith, located one mile southeast of Fort Smith Regional Airport. The Arkansas River flows eastward along the northern border of the post. Interstate 40 is five miles to the north on the...
region before moving to Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
to attend pharmacy school
Pharmacy school
The basic requirement for pharmacists to be considered for registration is an undergraduate or postgraduate Pharmacy degree from a recognized university. In most countries this involves a four- or five-year course to attain a Master of Pharmacy...
again at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is a public academic health sciences center located on 42nd and Emile Streets in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. UNMC is the only public academic health science center in Nebraska.-Academics and rankings:...
, from which he graduated in May 1977. Following his graduation, he lived briefly in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, but eventually gravitated to Westminster
Westminster, California
-Government:In the state legislature Westminster is located in the 34th, Senate District, represented by Democrat Lou Correa and Republican Tom Harman respectively, and in the 67th and 68th Assembly District, represented by Republicans Jim Silva and Van Tran respectively...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
due to the warmer weather and friends who had preceded him there. He opened his pharmacy on Bolsa Avenue in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1978, selling not only medicine, but electrical appliances, bicycle seats, and a variety of other goods; less than 10 years after his arrival, he had already achieved financial success. He soon branched out into other businesses, including freight forwarding; by 1988, he was sending 10,000 pounds of goods to Vietnam each month, a business fueled by the U.S. embargo
Embargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
against Vietnam, which led Vietnamese Americans to send much-needed supplies to their relatives who remained in Vietnam. By 1989, he had taken money earned from his small business success to become a real estate investor; his pharmacy would become the heart of Little Saigon
Little Saigon
Little Saigon is a name given to any of several overseas Vietnamese immigrant and descendant communities outside Vietnam, usually in the United States...
. Eventually, he shrank his original store to about a third of its former size in order to make room for his son to move his medical practice in next door.
Beginning in January 1999, he became involved in a political controversy when he served an 30-day eviction notice to a tenant in a shopping center he owned for inciting a nuisance there. The tenant was displaying a photo of Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
and a flag of Vietnam
Flag of Vietnam
The flag of Vietnam, also known as the "red flag with yellow star" , was designed in 1940 and used during an uprising against French rule in Cochinchina that year. The flag was used by the Việt Minh, a communist-led organization created in 1941 to oppose Japanese occupation...
in the window of his video store; angered by the store owner's pro-Communist display, local residents protested outside of the store for four days before a judge ruled that the store owner had to take down the picture and flag. However, a Superior Court
Superior Courts of California
The Superior Courts of California are the superior courts in the U.S. state of California with general jurisdiction to hear and decide any civil or criminal action which is not specially designated to be heard in some other court or before a government agency...
judge reversed the decision the following month. The tenant required an escort of one hundred police officers to take him to his store the following day and protect him from protesters while he rehung the flag. The tenant, disappointed that his landlord, the police, and the city of Westminster had "failed to protect [his] free speech rights", filed another lawsuit against them a year later.