NEW CONVENIENCE STORE
TROY, N.Y. >> A new kind of store is now open in downtown Troy with the addition of Kim’s Convenience.
“We call it an Asian bodega,” said owner Jinah Kim, who runs nearby restaurant Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen too.
Like any convenience store, Kim’s Convenience sells general everyday items like milk, eggs, and toilet paper - but it also has a variety of Asian goods ranging from packaged snack items and bulk Asian grocery to kimchi from Sunhee’s, Korean specialty side dishes (aka banchan) on-the-go, fresh produce in partnership with local nonprofit Capital Roots, along with cute Asian stationery and specialty gift items.
Additionally, Kim’s father runs a jewelry repair operation from the store, and a restaurant called Quang’s Vietnamese Bistro is opening next month in the back of the shop.
“It’s really a conglomeration of different things,” said Kim, who calls it a retail sister market of Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen.
A grand opening party is scheduled for 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday at the 88 Third St. business, with an after party also planned. The event will include complimentary food by Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen and KPlate Korean BBQ as well as games, prizes, giveaways, and a cash bar.
“It’s just going to be a fun, casual time,” said Kim, who recently purchased some inflatable sumo suits for the occasion.
“This was a fun project for me,” Kim said, adding that she sees it as a nice little extension of Sunhee’s.
While her other business draws a certain crowd, Kim’s Convenience attracts a diverse clientele. “I see different customers and different types of people coming in and I love that,” Kim said. “Whether it’s just to buy socks or to use the ATM, I want to be able to provide a service for everyone.”
In stocking the store, Kim aims to offer a wide variety of goods and services. “We want to catch every income level from low end to higher end,” she said.
Following its grand opening on Friday, Kim’s Convenience plans to have a joint ribbon- cutting ceremony with Quang’s Vietnamese Bistro in the future.
“For me, I think this collaboration is so wonderful and the timing was really perfect,” Kim said of the partnership with Quang Tran of Quang’s Vietnamese Bistro. “This is a nice service that we can offer to the community.”
Kim also sees the market and in-house bistro as a way to continue her mission of sharing Asian culture through food.
Kim’s Convenience is currently open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m on Friday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. These hours are expected to expand in the future.