PROSPER®

LIVE & PLAY --- QUALITY OF LIFE
HUGE ASIAN MARKET LANDS
IN MADISON HEIGHTS
Lucky for
Oakland County
Ryoko Yokoyama
Marilyn Bilotti
members, the club welcomes women from all over metro Detroit and
holds dozens of monthly events. Membership is $45 per year.
Club President Doris Elter is from Germany. She has lived in
Oakland County for four years, though this is her second stint in the
U.S. She, Yokoyama and two other members — Marilyn Bilotti, who
grew up in Oakland County and recently returned after years living
in other states, and Rania Khalil, born in Lebanon and a resident of
the U.S. for six years — represent the ethnic diversity of the group
and Oakland County in general. They agree the club helps them feel
at home and adjust to the culture shock.
“The hardest part is the basics,” Khalil says. “All the culture I
knew was through the TV and through my readings. I never met the
people who really live here.”
Yet, as Elter says, “We all have the same problems.”
The club’s goal is to help members overcome those obstacles and
make friends at the same time.
For Khalil and Yokoyama, the lack of a support system was a
major obstacle at first. But the Newcomers Club helped show them
the ropes: where to shop, which doctors or brands were reputable,
where to find the best prices, etc.
Yokoyama also says Americans are much more reserved than
Mexicans, which made it difficult for her to relate at first. The
Newcomers Club’s open, friendly atmosphere was the perfect antidote.
Education is another concern for many newcomers, says Lisa Gray,
honorary chairwoman of the Chinese Association of Greater Detroit.
She fields requests from many who want to make sure their children
have a proper education that includes Chinese language lessons.
And Gray says newcomers have a tendency to stay insulated
within their own communities — not because they don’t want
to meet new people, but because they’re anxious about fitting in.
The association tries to alleviate those concerns and provide more
opportunities for natives and newcomers to interact.
“When you come to a place, you need to find somebody who
relates, and then who can introduce you to other people,” she says.
Newcomers from other countries are quickly advised to get
involved.
“Keep your mind and heart open, because what you’re about to
explore is really fun,” Khalil says. “Don’t put yourself in the closet.”
Spanos encourages new residents to contact her office early.
“Use us,” she says. “We’re here, and we’re paid for by tax dollars,
so that’s our job.”
Lucky No. 7?
In Madison Heights, 168 is the number you want to bet on.
Ricky Dong and Cindy Wang, the married owners of 168 Asian
Mart, named their 38,000-square-foot grocery store using one
of the luckiest numbers in Chinese culture. And since it officially
opened in June 2015, business has been booming.
The 2015 grand
opening of 168
Asian Mart, the
largest Asian
grocery store
in Michigan.
But the venture involved more than luck. The couple has owned
several businesses in metro Detroit, including Fuji Buffet, located
in the same plaza. Now, 168 Asian Mart is the largest Asian grocery
store in Michigan and part of a burgeoning Asian community in
Madison Heights and surrounding Southeast Michigan.
“I do predict we’re going to keep growing,” says Van Nguyen,
executive director of the nearby Troy-based Asian Pacific
American Chamber of Commerce, citing tax incentives, the auto
industry and family ties as factors that attract Asian newcomers.
Dong wants the store to be an attraction for non-Asians, too.
So far, about 20 percent of his customers have been non-Asian,
and events are being planned to help teach locals how to cook
Asian cuisine and learn more about the cultures.
While the inventory may change based on demand, the
market features a large seafood section, fresh produce, a bakery,
Chinese barbecue station and made-to-order food. Multiple
Asian cultures are represented.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to offer this type of
market to the community where they can shop, dine and enjoy
the convenience of the assortment of services and products,”
Dong says, adding, “We look forward to growing our partnership
with the local residents and the community.”
— Sydnee Thompson
ADVANTAGEOAKLAND.COM 2016 17