Persian Square: A Historic Cultural Hub

Persian Square, located at the intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Persian Square, is home to a large number of Persian restaurants, grocery stores, book stores, art galleries, travel agencies, and rug stores. It is a central location of Persian culture for Tehrangeles, (a combination of “Tehran” and “Los Angeles”) referring to the large community of Iranian-Americans living in the metropolitan area of Los Angeles. In the 1960s, the Persian community began to bloom in Westwood. Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iranian immigration to Los Angeles increased. Iranians of multiple religions, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews began to immigrate to LA. According to Iranian-American scholar Dr. Reza Aslan, Iranians were drawn to LA because it reminded them of home. Iran in the 1970s had a similar landscape to LA, especially with the presence of cars and mountain ranges. Following Iranian immigration to LA in the 60s and 70s, the community began to grow and began to enter various magazines, newspapers, radio, and television stations.

With an estimated 500,000 to 600,000 Iranian-Americans residing in the LA area, it is important to recognize Persian Square as a significant cultural hub in Westwood and LA.