Pull to refresh
Logo
Chouas Market licensed for University Avenue storefront in Saint Paul

Chouas Market licensed for University Avenue storefront in Saint Paul

New Capabilities Saint Paul, MN local

A second location for the founder of Brooklyn Park's Global Grocery Market

Today: Chouas Market license appears on state list

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

A new grocery license appeared on Minnesota's public list September 10: Xiong Choua, doing business as Chouas Market, cleared for food handler retail at 995 University Avenue West, Suite 129 in Saint Paul. The address sits on University Avenue, the commercial spine of the Twin Cities' Hmong community.

The owner record matches Choua Xiong, who founded Global Grocery Market in Brooklyn Park during the pandemic with her husband Kao Vue. The name and the owner both point to this being her second storefront.

Why it matters

If Chouas Market opens, Frogtown residents gain a walkable source of culturally-specific groceries along University Avenue.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

1
Retail food license on record
Minnesota food handler retail license for Chouas Market at 995 University Ave W.
2
Total locations after expansion
Brooklyn Park's Global Grocery Market plus the newly licensed Saint Paul storefront.
40 mi
Delivery radius at the original store
Global Grocery Market delivers Asian and African groceries within 40 miles of Brooklyn Park.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Play

Exploring all sides of a story is often best achieved with Play.

Most of these play right now — no account needed. Sign up to save scores, keep a streak, and unlock Debate and Predict. Log in Sign Up
Predict 3 ways this could play out. Back the one you believe — contrarian picks score more when a scenario has a resolution date. Log in to play

People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

2020 September 2026

2 events Latest: Today
  1. Chouas Market license appears on state list

    Today Regulatory

    Minnesota Department of Agriculture lists a food handler retail license for Xiong Choua, dba Chouas Market, at 995 University Ave W, Suite 129, Saint Paul.

  2. Global Grocery Market founded in Brooklyn Park

    Business Launch

    Choua Xiong and Kao Vue open a delivery-focused Asian and African grocery after pandemic layoffs and pay cuts.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2004

Hmongtown Marketplace opens (2004)

Hmong entrepreneurs converted a bankrupt factory on Como Avenue in Saint Paul into Hmongtown Marketplace, a market with hundreds of vendors selling produce, meat, herbs, and prepared food. It drew shoppers from across the Twin Cities.

Then

The market became an immediate draw, anchoring a commercial stretch that had little foot traffic before.

Now

It proved a Hmong-focused market could support a large retail complex in Saint Paul and set a template for later developments.

Why this matters now

Shows the precedent for Hmong food retail as a commercial anchor in Saint Paul, the same model Chouas Market is betting on along University Avenue.

2011

Hmong Village Shopping Center opens (2011)

Hmong entrepreneurs opened Hmong Village, a large market complex on the East Side of Saint Paul with dozens of stalls selling groceries, clothing, and prepared food. It became one of the largest Hmong markets in the United States.

Then

The market drew steady crowds and filled a need for culturally-specific food on the East Side.

Now

It helped establish Saint Paul's East Side and University Avenue areas as regional destinations for Southeast Asian food.

Why this matters now

Demonstrates that demand for Hmong grocery retail in the Twin Cities is large enough to support multiple major markets, the environment Chouas Market enters.

Sources

(2)