Hmongtown Marketplace (2004)
A group of Hmong vendors opened a market in a former warehouse in St. Paul's North End. It grew into a regional hub for Southeast Asian food and goods, drawing shoppers from across the Twin Cities.
The market established a foothold and expanded over the following years.
It became one of the best-known ethnic markets in the Upper Midwest, anchoring a cluster of Hmong-owned businesses in St. Paul.
Shows how a small ethnic market can take root in St. Paul and grow into a lasting institution, the kind of outcome a new food licence could lead to.
