Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 12, 1990 TAG: 9004130601
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STEPHANIE THOMPSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The 25-year-old Su, who has worked in restaurants, says he had noticed that Oriental food and staples were not readily available in the downtown area of Roanoke before he opened Mr. Su's Oriental Market eight months ago.
The Kirk Avenue site has one disadvantage, he says: it's out of the way.
But despite limited parking, more and more people are visiting his store, he says.
Su, who is single, usually spends eight or nine hours a day, seven days a week, in his store. His brother and sister help him out with the market.
Su sold his partnership in a restaurant to help finance the business.
Su was encouraged in his decision to open the store by his sponsor, Natalie Foster Lemon, who he said is is like his godmother.
Lemon helped sponsor Su and his family when they came to Roanoke as refugees 15 years ago. Since then, she has served as neighbor and close friend to Su. She said Su has wanted to own his own business ever since he was a little boy.
Although he's still in debt, Su said he isn't having any problems meeting rent or payment deadlines. But, he said, he is looking forward to making a profit.
He said his business is doing well because there is no competition from other Oriental-food stores in the area. Also, business picks up in the summer months because of more people walking on Kirk Avenue, he said.
Su's store manages to attract "a little bit of everybody," in addition to residents in the Vietnamese community.
Su is willing to obtain special items he doesn't stock for customers, making trips to Washington, D.C., almost every week to get special orders. Most of the items are things he doesn't normally stock. He said the trips usually cost him more than the profit from the items sold, but he said he doesn't mind because he makes money from other things sold along with the items from the trip.
In fact, he enjoys doing things for his customers, and often helps them with recipes or cooking tips.
Mr. Su's Oriental Market isn't just about food. Tapes, over-the-counter remedies, car air fresheners, chopsticks, chinaware and cookware line the walls of the shop.
Su even has a rack of candy at the front of the store to attract the youngsters who come in to shop with their parents. And he is working on a restaurant in the back of the store.
Su expects most of the restaurant's business will be coming from the lunch crowd, so he is even offering his own version of fast food for people in a hurry. The menu will mainly consist of the usual Oriental foods such as egg rolls, chow mein, lo mein, sweet and sour dishes, soups and rice.
Su and his family also offer a catering service.
by CNB