Ontario has one of those All-American small-town downtowns that never really went away. There are homey diners and pubs, grocery stores, a newsstand, a candy store, banks, the YMCA, a library, the works. In recent years it’s also been getting an urban update. There are now ethnic restaurants like the Yangtze Restaurant, with its Shanghai kitsch décor, antique shops, edgy clothing stores, a City-sponsored museum and La Verne University’s College of Law. The Emporia Arts District, a neighborhood carved out of old industrial buildings that are designed, built and managed to support the creative arts. The local loft-livers are typically eclectic—everybody from academics to sculptors to weekend web-site builders. However, it’s obvious an extra effort was made on behalf of the working artist—the lofts are all ground floor, have big volumes and most have raised sleeping mezanines. Some have storefronts for exhibition and (drum roll, please) some have attached patio space for outdoor work and equipment, like kilns.
For loft-livers that are accustomed to art enclaves being super-gentrified or surrounded by blighted areas, the Emporia Arts District is a nice alternative. It is already part of an attractive downtown and the art scene is still cozy enough that there is a strong sense of community. Check it out for its easy livability and affordable prices.
