On Aug. 31, Mango Mango, a dessert shop in Cleveland’s AsiaTown, had their last day of business before officially closing.
A New York-based brand, the shop offered a variety of Asian-inspired sweets, including mango mochi, mille crepe cake and boba tea. The Cleveland shop first opened its doors in 2022 and soon became a popular and well-loved staple in the area.
According to The South Shore Press, earlier this year, Mango Franchise USA, LLC, filed a lawsuit against Z&C Group, LLC, owned by Bin Bin Zheng, who operated the Mango Mango branch in Cleveland. The lawsuit claims the franchisee broke the franchise agreement, disregarding corporate operating procedures and menu specifications, as well as allegedly intending to open a similar business nearby.
A nearby dessert spot, Mango Mango was often frequented by Case Western Reserve University students, and many have expressed their disappointment in its closing.
“I worked in an office in AsiaTown this summer, and whenever I asked coworkers for local recommendations, Mango Mango always came up. It’s a staple of AsiaTown, and it really surprised me that it’s closing so suddenly! The interior is very pleasant and cute, the menu is unique and the staff are extremely nice. It was also nice to have a place in Cleveland that reminded me of the dessert cafes in East Asia. I will miss Mango Mango!” fourth-year Eliana Musser said.
Another student shared their thoughts after trying to patron the now-closed shop.
“I’m so sad I’m gonna cry. I loved Mango Mango. I wanted to get a tea or perhaps a dessert dish, and I walked there and was met with a deserted store,” third-year Erin Fredin said.
On the other hand, fourth-year Lucas Yang expressed satisfaction with Mango Mango’s closing.
“I’m honestly happy that Mango Mango closed, because I feel like it kind of represented the commodification of Asian culture in a way,” he said. “It was extremely overpriced, and I never really saw any of the employees look really happy, because it probably was kind of miserable. I actually have been praying on their downfall for the last few years.”