Hickesville NY, Site of a Fast Developing Little India

When it comes to ethnic landscapes there are two in particular that come to my mind. One of them is Jackson Heights in Queens and second is a ethnic landscape that is developing and is quickly becoming a center for Indian people and the various cultures that descriptor defines, Hickesville in Nassau county. Hickesville is interesting because I personally have witnessed the development of Hickesville into a "Little India". When I first moved to Levittown, Hickesville was already beginning it development into an ethnic landscape, some of the first Indian stores in the town are still there, though the building they were in have changed quite a bit.

This little shopping plaza is home to some of the first Indian stores in the area, Patel Brothers in particular is a fairly important store as its one of the best places for Indian groceries. From here it only expanded. Restaurants, boutiques, salons, more grocery stores moving in to compete for business and perhaps most important places of worship.

Something I think is worth pointing out is that none of these buildings were built and designed by Indians, unlike what is the case with other ethnic landscapes which have signs of architecture specific to certain cultures. For the most part Indian business men and women buy or lease these buildings and replace the businesses that were there before. The Sikh prayer center in particular used be the site of bank. Something I find very interesting is that interspersed between these locations are pieces of Americana. 

A diner, bagel shop, Mcdonalds and more, placed in between patches of Indian businesses. A sign of integration? Hard to say, Jackson Heights which is the only other example I have didn't have something like this. Maybe in a few more years I'll have my answer. But I digress can say that if I were to classify what kind of ethnic landscape Hickesville would fall into it would probably be an urban ethnic landscape. And a fast developing one at that, I can't help but wonder what the town will be like a decade from now.