North Central Austin Edition | June 2022

BUSINESS FEATURE

POPULAR PRODUCTS Asahi Imports owner Matsumae shares some of customers’ favorites.

Asahi Imports employee Linda Taing makes fresh onigiri at the Onigiri Corner.

SALMON AND SALMON KOMBU ONIGIRI

KORIYAMA'S DELICIOUSLY LIGHT CHEESE CAKE

Asahi Imports’ main store is on Burnet Road. It also has a south location.

Asahi Imports owner Sally Matsumae is the third generation in her family to own the ethnic food store. (Photos by Chloe Young/Community Impact Newspaper)

ALLNATURAL MISO PASTE

UONUMA KOSHIHIKARI RICE

Asahi Imports A Main: 6105 Burnet Road, Austin B South: 3005 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. B-105B, Austin 512-453-1850 www.asahiimports.com Hours: Tue.-Thu., Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri.- Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Mon.

Asahi Imports Market highlights Japanese culture and community in Austin A s an exclusively Japanese grocery store in the Austin, Asahi Imports brings a piece of Matsumae’s father, Tetsutaro Matsumae, and relocated to Burnet Road in 2004. Matsumae, who BY CHLOE YOUNG

the ingredients and staple brands needed for the complete Japanese meal experience, Matsumae said. At the in-house Onigiri Corner, employees prepare fresh rice delica- cies known as onigiri, or rice balls. “I want us to be that common thread of the Japanese community,” Matsumae said. Matsumae said one of her main goals is making sure shoppers feel comfortable, as the Japanese shopping experience is unfamiliar for many Austin residents. “We’ll help you gather all the ingredients you need for it and kind of walk you through it,” Matsu- mae said. “We denitely want to make our store approachable for everybody.”

assumed ownership in 2018, is the third generation in her family to run the business. In December, she helped Asahi Imports open a second location on South Lamar Boulevard. “We knew that a lot of our customers come from all parts of Austin,” Matsumae said. “Being more accessible to the customer or shoppers was something that we really wanted to oer, and I think that there is also a lack of Asian rep- resentation on that side of town.” From noodles and rice, pro- duce, sh, Japanese snacks, sweets, drinks and more, Asahi Imports’ two locations oer all

of Japan to the city. “If you come visit our store, it’s kind of like taking a little mini trip to Japan,” Asahi Imports owner Sally Matsumae said. After moving from Japan, Matsu- mae’s grandmother, Shigeko Burnie, discovered a need for ethnic food suppliers in Austin. Burnie soon began selling imported goods out of her garage in early 1967 and opened Shigeko’s Imports o West North Loop Boulevard months later. In the 1980s, the store began oering solely Japanese products as Asahi Imports under the direction

SAVE ON SELECT BOTTLES OF WINE & SPIRITS *

TWIN LIQUORS

JUNE 27 - JULY 4

IN-STORE & ONLINE

SCAN TO SHOP OUR CURRENT SPECIALS

TWINLIQUORS.COM

CELEBRATION

July 4th Celebration runs 6/27/22-7/4/22. Valid on featured products. Sale items can be shopped in-store and online at www.twinliquors.com. Selection varies by store. Items and prices subject to change without notice. No further discount on Sale Items, Final Few, or Closeouts. Some exclusions apply. Please drink responsibly.

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JUNE 2022