Today we’d like to introduce you to Sook.
Hi Sook, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started my business simply because I was tired of driving to the cites to get my Asian ingredients. A little background regards the drive; from Mankato it is about a 3 hour round trip. This does not include the time it takes to grocery shop. I was tired of setting a day to drive to the cities for common Asian ingredients. What was more frustrating was, when arriving to my favorite Asian store and I was still not able to get the ingredient I was looking for so I would need either need to find another Asian store or go without. Most often, I would go without. Making this trip for over 20+ years, I finally decided to open a Korean market. My business idea was small. I had thought of opening with a couple of shelves and a refrigerator. On opening day, our store was very limited in stock. We opened with two rows of shelves, 9-unit cooler/freezer, and two open air coolers. What I had bought from our supplier turned into a humble experience. Our shelves were stocked but not in abundance. Shelves had inventory but spaced enough apart to try and make an illusion that there was more. We had customers that came and were just excited that there was an Asian grocery store, and then we had customers that walked in and walked right out. The customers that wanted us to succeed helped us in ordering the right inventory (inventory items bought by Vietnamese, Filipinos, Chinese etc). Inventory that would sell and not just take up space. Inventory that other Asians wanted and cooked with. I learned within days that my store “Seoul Foods” couldn’t only service Korean groceries. That there was a need by the entire Asian community and non-Asain community of a grocery store that incorporates more than just one ethnic foods.
Our community has been our biggest support. With their support, we have been able to push forward to expand our business and meet their demands the best we can.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There has been a list of challenges I have overcome. First was getting the store up and running. The permits that our building needs, the paperwork to submit for our refrigeration and coolers along with meeting Food and Safety requirements to cook deli items.
The one main continuous challenge we face is we live in a “no delivery zone”. At the moment, we have just one Asian supplier that provides delivery, while all other suppliers require us to handle pickup independently.
Right as we got through those early hurdles, tariffs, road and bridge closures on our main route, and high gas prices hit us—and we’ve only been open a year and a half.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work for Blue Earth County as an Eligibility Specialist, where I help individuals and families access Health Care programs. My role involves reviewing applications, verifying information, and making accurate eligibility determinations while ensuring everything meets state and federal guidelines.
I specialize in navigating complex cases and helping people understand the process in a way that feels clear and manageable.
What I’m most proud of is being able to help people get the support they need while treating them with respect and dignity.
What sets me apart is my ability to balance empathy with clarity, ensuring clients understand the reasoning behind their determinations.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with us by partnering on featured food collaborations and community-driven events. We regularly collaborate with local cooks and small businesses, including Friday spring rolls and egg rolls with Wakai’s Spring Rolls, Thursday mochi donut offerings with Mochi Mochi, and Monday kimbap with Seoul Mom.
We’re always open to new partnerships with individuals or businesses who want to share their culture, introduce new products, or create something unique for the community. We’re also beginning to focus on bringing local women within our community together to help lead and host Asian cultural events—creating space for connection, storytelling, and shared experiences through food.
Support also comes through customer engagement—visiting the store, participating in these collaborations, and helping spread awareness as we continue to grow.
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