Global Grocery Tiny Pullman Store Caters To WSU Students From Overseas And A Surprising Number Of Hometown Folks

While the storefront is easy to miss, it’s one spot on Main Street here that some international students almost never pass by.

In fact, the shop tucked under the awning of the Audian Theater is often their first stop in Pullman, even before they’ve picked a place to live.

They have found, thousands of miles from home, a taste of the familiar at the International Store of Asian Groceries.

They come to browse the two aisles, picking out a box of their favorite Jasmine tea or a treasured candy.

And among the grocery items, they also find friends and classmates, advisors on adapting to life in the United States.

“We are a unique community,” said the owner, Chusak Tansuhaj about Pullman. “We’re small but we have lots of different ethnic people.”

That diversity shows on Tansuhaj’s shelves in the grass jelly, oyster-flavored sauces, masala mixes, hot mango relish and at least five kinds of rice .

The food often comes with advice - Tansuhaj has helped find translators, explained how to get phone service and even served up a few recipes for the area’s adventuresome chefs. Ever willing to help, he’s even shortened his name to simply “Chuck.”

Though the business is small, Tansuhaj still finds running the store gratifying after almost 14 years.

“I always wanted to start my own business,” said the 44-year-old shop owner. The idea arose from need.

“When we moved here I needed some ingredients for myself.” Tansuhaj and his family are Thai. Home cooking for them involves fresh lemon grass and fish sauce. “We had to travel to Seattle or Spokane to get supplies,” he said.

With the encouragement of his wife, a marketing professor at Washington State University, Tansuhaj and his brother-in-law took over the storefront on Main. They had to strip out the remains of the former clothing store.

“It is hard to open a small business,” he said. Then he smirked. “My wife said that (calling this) a small business is too big,” he said. “I have to call this a micro business.”

Six months after they started the shop, his brother-in-law left the store to open a Thai restaurant in Pullman.

Since then Tansuhaj has been the sole proprietor. His day is usually consumed with serving customers and keeping the shop organized. “I try because we have such a small space with so much food,” he said.

Tansuhaj faces more competition as the selection of Asian foods has grown in the Pullman and Moscow supermarkets in recent years.

“But I still think I have better brands. They’re authentic,” he said. “And I hope I can do better, at least, offering service to people.”

People drive from as far away as Lewiston and Clarkston for his specialty foods.

While international students comprise a large part of his clientele, Tansuhaj was surprised to find so many American customers. Even during a slow summer afternoon, the door swings open every minute or so.

And Tansuhaj has grown used to chefs from restaurants darting in to restock depleted ingredients.

He also tries to fulfill requests, though he’s running out of room in his tiny store. “I have 10 times more product than when I started,” he said. “But I try to supply all the customers no matter where they’re from.”

Tansuhaj hasn’t bothered to advertise anymore.

“People learn from word of mouth,” he said. “We have new faces coming in all the time.”

Amy Owen walked in for the first time one recent afternoon. She drove to the store from Moscow to find ingredients for a Thai dish she was preparing.

“I found everything here,” she said. Thrilled with the variety at the shop, she vowed to come back.

The store is open daily from noon until 5 p.m. And more likely than not, Tansuhaj is there behind the counter.

“This way I can enjoy talking to people,” he said.