In recent years, two Asian supermarkets have sprung up in the predominantly white neighborhood of Little Neck to satisfy the needs of the rising Asian population. Previously, Koreans and Chinese, who make up the majority of Little Neck’s Asian population, had no choice but to travel to Flushing, the epicenter of Asian culture within Queens, to shop for products not found in American supermarkets. Today, New York Mart, the Chinese supermarket located along Marathon Pkwy and Horace Harding, along with its Korean counterpart, H-mart, bring convenience and a taste of the Asian cuisine for all of the suburban residents.
But the question now is– are they really satisfying the needs of their target customers? Kay Lee, the manager of New York Mart, said, “H-mart is not our competition- we offer quality products at cheaper prices.” True, the price of a pound of potatoes is cheaper at the Chinese supermarket than at the Korean supermarket, but are inexpensive products all that customers care for? For Kai Wang, a Chinese American who has been a resident of Little Neck for twenty years, and other Asian customers, quality is more important than price. Wang said, “I was happy when it first opened, but I was disappointed immediately. The first thing I bought, a carton of milk, was spoiled right when I opened it.” She has, since then, resumed her tiresome commute to Flushing for her Chinese groceries.
At H-mart, they have taken a rather different approach. Acknowledging the fact that they are still situated in a mostly white neighborhood, they use tours during certain days of the week and during the weekend to give residents a taste of different Korean delicacies and ultimately, to lure them in as regular customers. Successful? Very. In fact, even Chinese residents of Little Neck visit the supermarket frequently. New York Mart, while still ignorant of the woes of its Asian population, must address this pressing issue for it to stay afloat. H-mart employee, Thomas Lee, said, “New York Mart isn’t our competition.”