With immigration and migration on the rise nationally, more individuals and families from varying cultures are calling Owensboro and Daviess County home. This increase in diverse populations has led to the emergence of several ethnic stores and markets, many of which have more to offer than meets the eye.
Most of these stores feature butcher shops with cuts of meat and produce that might be considered exotic to someone on a typical American diet. These “exotic” cuts accompany standard beef, chicken, pork, and seafood options. They boast vegetables, herbs, spices, and other products that would be difficult to find in a traditional grocery store — and at a nominal price at that.
It’s common practice at these stores to find freshly baked bread and desserts prepared in a manner consistent with their country of origin. They also feature native soft drinks, fruit-infused waters, candy, and other sugary goods.
Anyone abstaining from sugars and processed goods can often find organic produce, proteins, bones for broth, dry beans, and whole-grain rice products at these stores.
Another feature for many of the markets is that they often double as a restaurant, offering “home-cooked” meals with fresh proteins and produce that they source themselves.
Many stores also offer a plethora of products ranging from home goods and clothing to standard medicines and hygiene products.
The list below includes some of the ethnic grocery stores/market in the community. (It is not necessarily an all-inclusive list. Contact us here to get your business added to the list.)
Asian
- Saw Asian Market — 3211 Frederica Street
- Stocking as much as they can from different Asian countries, Saw Asian Markets receives new shipments of produce weekly, with some of the ripest fruits and fresh deli meats.
- Layihmon Asian Grocery Store — 2610 Veach Road
- While the space is small, the variety of dried, fresh, and frozen ingredients is abundant. The staff is insightful, going above and beyond to educate customers on the many components of Asian cooking and how to integrate their products.
- Kinsman Asian Grocery Store — 221 Williamsburg Square
- Nestled between The Cupcakery and The Spot Coffee Shop in Williamsburg Square, Kinsman offers a substantial selection of native items. They have one of the largest ethnic stores in the area, featuring fresh vegetables at low prices, and pride themselves on quality customer service.
- A May Myint Thar — 4028 Frederica Street, Sherwood Plaza
- A May Myint Thar offers everything Thai, ranging from a wide array of fresh vegetables, fruits, and halal meat (several different kinds) to snacks, candies, and teas. They also boast a large selection of traditional prayer rugs, mats, curtains, flower vases, shoes, and clothes.
Hispanic
- Tienda San Martin — 1107 E. 4th Street
- Tienda San Martin promotes a family atmosphere while offering modest prices for Latin American and American products. They offer a large selection of poultry and eggs and are always willing to provide their expertise.
- Hispanic Store Mi Angel at Tienda Panaderia La Bamaba — 1221 Moseley Street
- Hispanic Store Mi Angel is located inside Tienda Panaderia La Bamba, a restaurant serving authentic food from several Hispanic cultures. The restaurant converts to a food truck on Fridays and Saturdays called Maggie’s Antojitos. The store offers several fresh, frozen, and packaged goods – accentuated by a diverse candy selection, pinatas, and custom cakes.
- La Veracruzana Restaurant and Grocery — 2229 New Hartford Road
- La Veracruzana doubles as a restaurant with modest seating serving truly authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican dishes. With freshness at the forefront, patrons can view the kitchen staff cooking their food right before their eyes. The grocery features locally-baked bread and pastries delivered weekly, a custom butcher shop, and various canned and dried foods.
- El Quetzal Tienda Hispana — 710 B Salem Drive
- El Quetzal Tienda Hispana offers a quaint and personal grocery experience with several options for vegetables and fruit. Despite being short on space, they carefully stock each shelf with quality goods at modest prices, with ample selections.
- El Mercadito — 1413 Bosley Road
- El Mercadito offers a wide variety of Mexican, Central American, and South American products at their location that doubles as a taqueria and butcher shop. They also conduct money transfers and parcel packaging and shipping.
- Latinus 1 Stop — 636 Southtown Boulevard (coming soon)
- This store, expected to open soon, will carry traditional Mexican ice cream and popsicles and other items. It will also have a bakery that will make fresh tortilla shells.
