Happy Thyme Asian Market, a new Asian market that offers a wide selection of food and snacks, open to St. Cloud. Soon it will serve food from its new restaurant – which will be located in the store. It also plans to open a catering area in the coming months.
The store launched its soft opening during the last week of February and gradually adds more sections for snacks, drinks, products, frozen foods and its new restaurant.
Happy Thym Asian Market has specific aisles for chips, teas, spices, cooking supplies and other articles from several Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
In the coming months, Happy Thym will also add a Chinese restaurant and a catering area, said owner Huitao Hong.
Good thyme grocery store to open the Chinese restaurant and the catering area
The Chinese restaurant will serve popular items such as the hot pot and the Sun Sum. Happy Thym plans to open at the end of March, and the restaurant will then open.
On the other side of the department store, an area of ​​catering focused on fashion after a street in the city will open this summer. It will include “windows” for different countries, including spots for Korean barbecue, a Chinese hot pot, a Korean style coffee maker and an Asian style bakery, so that customers can cross and try a variety of food.
“It has a different place for each type of food, then if you want Japan food (ESE), you just go to the Japanese store … and then we have a lounge area,” said Ho
After having lived in Minnesota for 13 years, Hong, who is from China, said he was tired of going to the region of the region of twin cities each time he wanted certain Asian grocery stores.
Hong also hopes that the store is useful for international students in the region who are looking for a taste of home.
“Some of the international students, they do not have a car to go to the cities, then they want, like Chinese foods here,” said Hong.
Before the big opening next month, the market is also gradually adding its grocery sections. It starts to sell products and many frozen meals and treats. The sister of Hong, who heads Munch Mochi Donut to Waite Park, will also provide pastries for the store.
The Asian market of St. Cloud wants to introduce culture
Although happy thyme can be a resource for the region’s Asian community, Hong said that it hoped that it also introduces other residents of new kitchens and cultures.
“We are trying to (initiate more people) our culture,” said Hong. “More and more people, they know Asian culture … When they enter here, they can see real Chinese cuisine, and they have Japan style food and Korean style things here.”
Happy Thyme Asian Market is currently open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for its soft opening at 3320 W. Division St.
Teagan King covers the business and development of St. Cloud Times. It can be contacted at teking@gannett.com.