Saigon Market is closer to moving from its current location at 4507 Franklin Ave. in Kerr Station Village to 831 S. Kerr Ave. in University Square Mall.
 
The move comes as a developer plans a 154-unit student housing community called Kerr Station Lofts, which would replace the current shopping center that includes Saigon Market and Sakura Japanese Restaurant.
 
Lan Washington, owner of Saigon Market, said recently that she is excited about the upcoming move. She said the new location will give the store more exposure to new customers as well as allow her more space for additional products.
 
Washington first opened Saigon Market nearly 24 years ago and has developed a loyal following of Port City residents seeking products and ingredients not only from Asia, but from India and the Middle East as well.

When she first opened, she carried mostly products from her native Vietnam and China, but over the years she has had more and more requests from the Indian and Middle Eastern community, and she said she has tried her best to accommodate.
 
“We also have many Americans who have traveled to these areas or lived abroad and are interested in cooking dishes from these regions,” Washington said. “Some of them know more about the products and how to cook with them than I do.”
 
Washington credits her son and other family members with helping her grow the family business. What began as a small room attached to a friend’s Asian restaurant has grown to carry thousands of international products, from halal meats and chicken, to everything you need to make your own sushi.
 
Washington is hopeful that the final electrical work that needs to be done at the new location will be completed shortly and plans to close for only a day or two to move. A mid-December opening at 831 S. Kerr Ave. is expected.
 
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