1 Eggplant, A Sprig Of Basil, & 14 Years Of Small Biz Success

Browsing the vibrant vegetables inside Million Asian Market, Mayor Justin Elicker selected a bright purple eggplant and turned to the store’s co-owner, Lorri Xu.

He said in Mandarin that he wanted to make yuxiang qiezi, a garlicky eggplant dish that became his favorite meal when he lived in Taiwain. Xu advised him on the amount of Thai basil he would need — not too much — and retrieved an aromatic bag of the herb, which Elicker was happy to purchase.

That was the scene Wednsday morning as Elicker joined Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, aapiNHV’s Christine Kim, and city economic development leaders in celebrating Million Asian Market’s nearly 14 years of feeding the Ninth Square and beyond. They highlighted and perused the grocery store in honor of both Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and National Small Business Day.

Lorrie Xu and Zhi Yong Wang founded the 15 Orange St. supermarket in 2010, when they first moved to the New Haven area after living for a decade in New York City. Wang and Xu had sought to live in a quieter environment — a place that was ​“not too busy,” but also ​“not too slow,” as Wang put it. New Haven proved to be the perfect place. ​“We love New Haven,” Wang said. The store primarily sells Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and some Thai groceries. It’s one of several businesses in the Ninth Square specializing in Asian cuisine.

Running the market hasn’t always been easy; business can be slow at times, Xu said. While the store closes at 7 p.m., the work often extends until midnight, as Xu and Wang ensure that the space is pristine and fully stocked. But in over a decade, the pair has developed a base of loyal customers. 

“For customers, we’re like a friend,” Xu said. ​“At Christmas, some of them give me flowers.”

At a press conference outside the market was one of Million Asian Market’s regular customers, Christine Kim. ​“I come here almost every week — to feed my family, to feed my heritage and what I love.”

Kim described co-founding aapiNHV (Asian American/Pacific Islander New Haven), a pan-Asian activist community based in New Haven, two years ago. Initially, the group focused on responding to a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes that affected the country, including New Haven. ​“Even though it started out of that fear,” Kim said, ​“we are dedicated to celebrating our resilience, our diversity. … We are here, we are growing, and we are united.”

Bysiewicz noted that Connecticut’s Asian population is the ​“fastest growing ethnic community in our state,” as of the latest census. Small businesses, she added, ​“make this city of New Haven more vibrant.” For every dollar spent at small businesses like Million Asian Market, ​“two-thirds of that dollar stays right here” in the local economy.

More small businesses will have a chance to shine at Friday evening’s Night Market, which will fill the Ninth Square with local artists, shops, and organizations — including a ​“mini museum” by aapiNHV.

Soon after, Bysiewicz headed inside the store and decided to purchase a package of shitake mushrooms. And with Xu’s help, Elicker gathered the eggplant and basil. Xu explained in Mandarin that the basil wasn’t imported from Thailand; it came, she thought, from a farm in New York not too far away.