Although our 21 Broadway location won’t open for a few months, we saw an opportunity in using our window space to have some fun and spread holiday cheer.

We wanted something that says a bit about Junzi Kitchen and contributes to the inviting storefronts of downtown New Haven. So, led by our designer Ming — and with the help of a ladder, some gift boxes, and a bunch of green circles — we created a simple holiday display.

You may be wondering, Why all the circles?

Well, the circle is an important symbol in Chinese culture for fulfillment and happiness. And beyond the cultural significance it’s a welcoming, inclusive shape. Circles welcome people, the holidays welcome people, Junzi welcomes people.

And they’re also the shape of our delicious chun-bing wraps.  :)

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Ming (shown above) prefers simple, readily-available materials, and that mentality lives in this display. It’s just a ladder and some paper and boxes, but together they bring life to our space.

Another great example of Ming’s creative resourcefulness is the welcoming display she made for New Haven’s City-Wide Open Studios artist showcase in 2012, which was held at the New Haven Register building. As the building was home to a newspaper, Ming repurposed the newspaper vending machines into a gigantic welcoming sign.

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Our display is just one of the many vibrant holiday scenes found in New Haven storefronts. There’s also an excellent display series created by Paier art students, professors, and alumni to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Shubert Theatre. The intricate paper displays all show plays that were performed at the Shubert Theatre.

The project was led by Paier professor Vladimir Shpitalnik, who received his MFA in design from the Yale School of Drama. He’s also contributed his creative skills to New Haven’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas and the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford.

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We want to continue using our window space in creative ways throughout our construction phase. And just like the downtown-Paier collaboration, we’d love to collaborate with local artists on future displays that welcome and engage the community. Send your ideas to me at reed@junzi.us. Or contact us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

Happy holidays!

–Reed