Papa’s Asian Market, a new grocery store specializing in Korean, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian products, opened across from its sister business, Papa Thai’s Cafe, on Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo.
Pawanrat “Summer” Yanasarn moved from Chiang Mai, Thailand, to Santa Barbara, where she met her husband and business partner, David Goodfriend. The couple later moved to San Luis Obispo.
The market sells products that the owners said are difficult to find in San Luis Obispo, including Korean soup packets, Chinese desserts, Asian spices and snacks, instant meals and fresh produce including bok choy and Chinese broccoli.
Goodfriend and Yanasarn said they had considered opening an Asian grocery store for four years after repeatedly traveling outside San Luis Obispo to purchase ingredients.
The owners said ordering ingredients online was costly, so they travel to Los Angeles weekly to purchase Thai, Chinese, Korean and Japanese products from wholesalers.
“We have to go pick it up in LA because the delivery is not as fresh,” Yanasarn said.
Goodfriend and Yanasarn initially planned to use the market as additional storage for Papa’s Thai Cafe, allowing restaurant employees to retrieve ingredients from across the street when needed. They later expanded the concept into a grocery store in hopes of making Thai products more accessible to the local community.
The owners said they compare their prices with those at other Asian grocery stores, including H Mart and Weee!, to keep products affordable.
“When students come to our store, I don’t want them to feel ripped off by the price and walk away because of that,” Yanasarn added.
Customers can also request special orders for products the market does not regularly carry, according to the owners.
“I love the variety of unique foods they have and it saves me delivery fee from the online delivery apps,” customer Emi Yamada-Heidnert said. “I can never find the unique spices that I need, but now I can easily access them at the market.”
Beyond selling groceries, Goodfriend and Yanasarn said they hope to build relationships with students and members of the local Thai community.
“They come here, they don’t have to buy stuff,” Yanasarn said. “They can just come in and talk to us.”
Papa’s Asian Market opened Sept. 6 at 1349 Monterey St. and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.