This summer, the old Stony Asian Mart reopened as Zheng’s Asian Market, anticipating a brighter, healthier future under new ownership. Frank Zheng and his wife, Jackie Chen, fulfilled their long-awaited dream of opening a family-owned Asian market when they strung the “Grand Opening” banner across their quaint storefront window nearly two months ago.
“We previously owned a Chinese restaurant [called Ching Hoi Kitchen] for 14 years but we got tired of it — too much work,” Zheng said. “We were always thinking of opening a market and then we found this place and it was the perfect chance, so, boom, we got it.”
Located across the street from the Stony Brook Long Island Rail Road station, the market is in an ideal spot for students, faculty and staff. The small but mighty store carries a diverse range of products, from medicine and cosmetics to beverages and frozen foods.
“There is no Asian market that is easy for students. We [have] food that is easy to cook … that you can microwave for 15 minutes. We are serving Stony Brook,” Chen said.
Their goal to service the Stony Brook University population is clear in their pricing. Dry snacks, such as Korean choco pies, Chinese fruit cakes and PopCorners, are typically priced under $10. Frozen buns, shumai and dumplings average $5.75 and a five-pack of instant noodles — a college staple — averages $7. But price is not compromised for quality, Chen assures.
“I order from the number one big [importer of] Asian food; the quality is good and bigger compan[ies] have guaranteed return policies if there are any issues,” Chen said. “It’s good for me and good for my customer[s], I don’t even worry.”
Zheng’s Asian Market currently offers a 10% discount for Stony Brook students and faculty. They also offer a delivery option for orders exceeding $35 within a three-mile radius of the University’s campus with no extra fees.
“There is all the stuff here you would find in Flushing and it’s cheaper,” Sophia Shi, a freshman political science major, said. “It’s also 100 times cleaner than the stores in Flushing. I can see why a lot of people are liking the mart after the new owners.”
After purchasing the building, it took them a week to fully clean and throw out expired food left by the previous owner. Then they fixed up the mini-mart by repainting. However, the rebuilding process didn’t stop there.
“We have to try to rebuild our reputation. It could take months or a whole year,” Zheng said. “This mart had a bad reputation for a while. The old owner didn’t have the time to really care for [the market]. It’s so easy to destroy a business, but it’s difficult to rebuild it.”
Zheng’s Asian Market proves to be a refreshing and much-needed change from the previous mart, according to students.
“The old one was dark, like the lights weren’t on. I thought it was closed at first,” John Choi, a junior majoring in biology, said. “I think [the new owners] made a lot of new improvements. The selection is pretty good, too, and I like the student discount.”
It’s not only the power couple who are behind this business. Their children are also helping to promote the new and improved market by posting on the Stony Brook Reddit and hanging flyers on campus, said Chen.
“Stony Brook [University] is like a small city because there are a lot of people working there and living there, [so] hopefully more people know about us,” Zheng said. “We will check it out and see how it goes.”
In the winter, they plan to stock frozen meats and fish in the hopes of appealing to hot-pot fanatics, Zheng said. They are also thinking of expanding their figurine and plushie stock for purchase depending on customer interest.
“When I come in here, I feel like I am back in my hometown,” Susan Sun, a freshman psychology major, said. “The staff are so friendly and they should try to do more promotion. As long as people come to see it for the first time, they’ll keep coming back.”
For the new owners, service is one of their most important business pillars aside from price and quality. Zheng’s Asian Market aims to serve Stony Brook residents high-quality food and high-quality service, welcoming them in like family.
“We are not big money seekers, not a million dollar business,” Zheng said. “We just want to pay the [bills] and have fun with the people. We’ll take care of the community.”
