Asian market in Roanoke closes
Photo by Lindsey Nair
I noticed when I drove past the Fresh Oriental Market on Williamson Road last Wednesday that the lights were out at about 8 p.m. Since I knew it was usually open later than that, I suspected something was amiss.
Sure enough, the market at the corner of Williamson and Liberty roads has closed. The owners, Hien and Shilin Bui, also own Pho Viet Nam restaurant on Orange Avenue and opened QQ Bubble Tea in the Roanoke City Market Building in April. When I talked to Hien Bui yesterday, he said they decided to close Fresh Oriental Market because they have too many other things on their plate now.
I hope the Vietnamese restaurant and the bubble tea place work out, because it would be sad to see the owners sacrifice a longstanding business for the new endeavors. I wish them the best of luck.
Meanwhile, this reminds me that it’s been a few years since I did my series about ethnic markets in the Roanoke and New River valleys (That link is to Part 1 of the series; scroll down and click links in the bar on the left of your screen to see the other three parts). The landscape has changed since then. Certainly, some of those stores are still going strong or have expanded, but others have closed and new shops have opened since then. I think I ought to do another round-up to update readers on where they can shop for specialty food items.
I see some new markets when I’m driving around, but I’m sure I have missed some. If you know of an ethnic market (whether it be Asian, Mediterranean, Latino, a mix of ethnicities or any other kind), please let me know so I can make sure they are not left off my list.
Do you shop at any ethnic markets?
May 16, 2012 - 5:31 AM
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I shop at (a) the World Market on Williamson Rd in Roanoke County north of the Valero station and (b) at the Oriental Market on Williamson Rd at Pioneer St, across Pioneer St. from the old Dominion Bank/Williamson Rd Post Office building.
I noticed at Lakeside Plaza that Nancy’s Candy Company (I believe is the right name) was closed also. When did that happen?
Darn it! They were the only ones I’ve found who reliably carried all of my favorite varieties of Thai curry paste. Even the places that carry the right brand (Maesri) tend to stick to the well-known red/green/yellow curries, whereas the Fresh O.M. carried a much wider selection.
Mark, I just made green curry on Sunday and bought the paste at Oriental Market on Williamson. I noticed they had red, yellow, massaman and panang also. I can’t remember the brand name though.
Now that I look at a picture of a Maesri curry can, I am 95% sure that’s what they carry.
There’s a new(ish)shop next to the Fiji Island restaurant, I went maybe a month or so ago.
I don’t remember the name of the shop, but it had just opened, and the owner was working out some kinks.
Hi Nurse dry garden! You asked about Nancy’s Candy Co. in Salem at Lakeside Plaza….we did close on 4/20/12. Need your chocolate fix? Come see us at our FLOYD, VA store on Main Street across from the courthouse for the same great tasting locally made chocolates, fudges and truffles. Open Tuesday – Saturday.
Once in a blue moon, we will stop by the oriental food market on Brambleton Ave. The lady who works there is very sweet!
Thank you for stopping by with that information, Nancy.
Thanks Lindsey! They must have expanded their selection since I went looking for curry there a few years(?) ago.
Mark, now what will happen is you’ll go over there and they will have discontinued carrying anything except green, red and yellow. Haha! Not really, I’m sure, but that’s the way life seems to work sometimes.