![]() ![]() The only issue Park faces, one he’s had to deal with long before COVID, is with pricing. “(There were) some new customers when COVID happened but mostly people who already came here did the shopping, getting what they always get. “It was hard to get shipments from countries like Korea and Philippines,” Park said. Fortunately for him, Park said he never experienced any of the anti-Asian sentiment that swept the country in 20. During that time, Park said, it was his regulars who helped keep him in business. (KT Kanazawich | Flint Beat)įor a few months, in 2020, Seoul was forced to prioritize what it would stock. ![]() Customers come from all over the state to the 15-year-old store. are lined with specialty Asian grocery items. The aisles at Seoul Market in Flint, Mich. As borders closed and commerce came to a halt in the early days of the pandemic, keeping Seoul stocked became difficult. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, shipping produce and other products from anywhere in Asia became increasingly limited, Park said. Recently, his dedication to his customer’s needs paid off. In total, Park estimates about 40 percent of his clientele is white while the remaining 60% is an even mix of Korean and Filipino people. Not too long after that, Park added a whole aisle dedicated to goods from the Philippines including beauty products, frozen products, candies, spices, and fruits. Soon after opening the store, Park said he began to realize many of his customers were from the Philippines. Over the years, Seoul’s products have shifted along with the buying habits of its customers. Park opened the specialty Asian grocery store with his wife Kwang Sun in 2005. Sam Park, owner of Seoul Market on Corunna Road in Flint, Mich. Park’s focus on the quality and expansiveness of his stock, paired with the fact he owns the only Korean grocery store in Flint, has allowed Seoul Market to become the go-to store for Korean produce, makeup, cookware, and more. Over the years, Seoul has developed a dedicated customer base made up of both Flint locals and customers who regularly visit from as far away as Detroit. That is why they come here,” said Sam Park, the store’s owner. “People, they will come from Saginaw, Midland, Detroit, Lansing to this store. ![]()
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