Longstanding downtown dojo faces displacement as Corona advances mall redevelopment

All American Karate School, a martial-arts studio that has operated in downtown Corona for more than 40 years, told the City Council it received formal notice that its leased space at the North Mall must be vacated by Oct. 13, and dozens of parents, students and alumni urged the council to help the school stay in Corona.

The schoolowners, Nicole Lipari Romero (co-owner of All American Karate School) and Michael Romero (co-owner), said the announced demolition and redevelopment of the North Mall left them with weeks to find a new site despite having run programs for generations of Corona children.

The schoolhas been cited repeatedly by parents and community members at the meeting for its role in providing affordable youth programming, leadership training and consistent weekday foot traffic that local businesses rely on. Ridley Romero, a longtime student and instructor, told the council the…