On a recent Saturday morning, the newly opened Newton Asian Market on Langley Road in Newton Centre was filled with shoppers. Most, but not all, of the shoppers were Asian.
Sign for Newton Asian Market in Newton Centre. Photo by Richard Primack
Many were selecting fresh produce in the center of the store, attracted by the colorful displays of fruits and vegetables. Along the left wall, people were examining fish on ice trays as well as live fish, including eels, huge lobsters and crabs held in large tanks. In the back, families with children were selecting various sweet and savory snacks.
The store clearly fills a need for the rapidly growing Asian population in Newton and surrounding communities, which had few other options for such specialty food items nearby.
According to census data, Asians accounted for only four percent of Newton’s population in 1990. Today they account for 17.5 percent of the city population, and Asians represent 22 percent of students in Newton’s schools, as shown by Newton city data.
May Xia, the store manager. Photo by Richard Primack
According to the manager, May Xia, the market has been bustling since its June 13 opening, with an increasing number of shoppers. People seem especially drawn to the fresh produce, the range of seafood, the reasonable prices, and the easy parking.
Xia says that customers come mainly from Newton and surrounding communities, though some make the trip from Boston’s Chinatown. One woman mentioned that she lives in Roslindale and comes to the store after visiting her parents in Newton.
People probably find the store familiar as it is the same ownership as the C-Mart chain, which formerly operated an Asian food store in Chinatown and currently has a store in Quincy.
Xia reports that customers have been quite friendly, and that people often eat at Ding’s Kitchen, a Chinese restaurant next door, and then shop at the Asian market.
Specialty choices
While the store has many of the same produce items found in regular supermarkets, it also has items unique to an Asian store, including many different types of bok choy, bitter gourd, taro, jujube (also known as Chinese dates) and four kinds of durians.
Selection of seafood at Newton Asian Market. Photo by Richard Primack
In addition, the store has a meat section, a great variety of tofu and frozen dumplings, numerous snacks of all kinds, and a large variety of traditional Chinese products such as dried noodles, mushrooms, spices, beans, rice and candies. In the front right side of the store is a display of Chinese medicines, ginseng being the best seller.
Manager Xia says the store plans to change sale items throughout the year to match festivals on the Chinese calendar, such as fresh lychees in July, longans in August, and Asian pears, fresh peanuts and mooncakes in September.
Customers are appreciative
Qian Lan and Xin Yang, from Newton Highlands, come to the market for the Chinese produce, especially the vegetables. Before the store opened, they traveled to the Asian market in Quincy for shopping.
Ann Yung, from Newton Centre, appreciates the fresh seafood, including the crabs and lobsters, along with taro for rice dishes. She notes that the store is very clean.
Jing Shao Wang and family shopping at the market. Photo by Richard Primack
Jing Shao Wang and his family come to the store from Roxbury and agree that the store is clean and everything looks fresh. They are here to buy a variety of Chinese foods, including drinks and seaweed.
Some people have other reasons for visiting the store. Newton Centre resident Jonathan Delatizky brings his grandchildren to the market to watch the lobsters, fish and other live animals.
Along with nearby Newtonville Bookstore, Ding’s Kitchen, and J.P. Licks ice cream shop, the Newton Asian Market has helped make this part of Newton Centre a popular destination for Newton area families.
Richard B. Primack is a lifelong resident of Newton and plant ecology professor at Boston University. He can be reached at primack@bu.edu.