This bustling thoroughfare has traditionally divided the city into its predominantly Francophone eastern section and the Anglophone west. Today the boulevard attracts a diverse crowd to its shops, cafes, restaurants and "in" boutiques. Established in 1672, the artery long formed Montreal's principal passageway, hence its nickname "the Main." For centuries the Main has welcomed immigrants. During the 19C Chinese settled in the southern section, giving rise to a lively Quartier chinois (Chinatown) (at Rue de la Gauchetière). Jewish merchants arrived in the 1880s and moved into the northern section. Greeks moved to the area during the early 20C. More recent arrivals include Slavs, Portuguese and Latin Americans.