A new family-run grocery store offering food items sourced from Asia is set to open in the Court Square section of Long Island City next week (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
Oct. 3, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
A new family-run grocery store offering products sourced from Asia is set to open in the Court Square section of Long Island City Saturday.
The new store, called Ai Mart Asian Market, will open at 21-51 44th Dr., a block away from the 67-story Skyline Tower.
Ai Mart Asian Market will offer a wide range of packaged grocery items such as snacks, beverages and frozen food. The company imports its goods from a number of Asian countries such as Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, China, Vietnam and Korea. It will also offer fresh fruit and vegetables.
The new store is owned by brothers Andy and Wilson Law who are originally from Malaysia. They are partnering with their mother Ammy Law and her husband Edward Cuccia, in the business.
The owners have taken over a 2,200-square-foot space that was previously used as a garage. The interior of the one-story space has been renovated while the exterior has been painted in a bright cream color. The old garage shutter door has been replaced with glass doors, high windows and a green company sign has also gone up.
Andy Law said the owners are now busily stocking the shelves in order to be ready for the grand opening on Oct. 8.
“We are really excited, we won’t be getting much sleep [over the next few days]!” said Law, who also co-owns a number of bubble tea shops. He lives in Williamsburg with his wife, who is originally from Panama.
The owners will host a ribbon-cutting event at the store on Saturday at 11 a.m. to mark the opening. The event will feature a dragon dance performance and free food.
Ai Mart Asian Market will offer packaged grocery items which are sourced from Asia such as canned food, sauces, instant noodles, instant bubble teas, spices, and fruit teas.
Some of the items which will be available at the store (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
It will also offer frozen goods such as dumplings, meats, and Musang King — a popular Asian fruit also known as durian. Desserts such as ice cream and frozen yogurt will also be available.
There will also be sweets, candy and potato chips, while beverages will include sodas, canned iced teas and canned coffee. Law said the store will also offer various household items.
The owners, Law said, decided to open the space since they felt there was a lack of grocery stores offering Asian items in the area. He said Long Island City has become well known for its booming Asian population and they want to tap into that demographic.
Law said he has been working in the grocery business since he was a teenager. His aunt owns more than 100 grocery stores in Malaysia, and he helped her open some of her stores in the past.
They decided to open Ai Mart Asian Market at the urging of their family members, he said.
“We are really looking forward to opening,” Law said.
Opening hours will be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Sundays.
The store will also offer frozen goods such as hot pots, dumplings and Musang King — a popular Asian fruit also known as durian, pictured (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The owners have renovated the space and are now stocking the shelves (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
Some of the beverages that will be on offer (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
Some of the snacks that will be on offer (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)(Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The store is situated one block away from the 67-story high Skyline Tower (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
A new family-run grocery store offering products sourced from Asia is set to open in the Court Square section of Long Island City next week (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post) (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
