NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A new grocery store in Antioch is quickly becoming a destination for shoppers from all over Middle Tennessee.
Pan-Asia Supermarket, which opened in February, is the first business to welcome customers in what will eventually become Nashville’s Chinatown.
The sprawling supermarket is now the largest Asian grocery store in the city, offering more than 10,000 items and giving families easier access to the foods they’ve struggled to find.
Related: I-24 Choice Lanes project could demolish Pan-Asia Supermarket, 20+ South Nashville businesses
‘A game changer’
For shoppers like Ariele Bautista and her parents, the store is a game changer.
“My parents live around here and usually they drive all the way out to Nolensville to get their groceries,” Bautista said. “So, it’s really nice that it’s close now.”
Some customers were traveling even farther before Pan Asia opened its doors.
“They do not have to travel to Atlanta anymore,” said manager Siew Tan, who explained that some families used to drive four hours for some items.
Tan said Pan Asia is designed to serve a wide range of communities.
“We’re like an international store… not just a Chinese store or Asian store,” Tan said. “We carry items from Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan… so any person from any ethnic background come here to shop, they can find what they used to find in their hometown.”
Beyond the aisles of groceries, the store features a café, a bakery with fresh bread made daily and a live seafood section that’s already a favorite.
“I really like Dungeness crab. And that’s in there… girl. I’m ready for that, too,” Bautista laughed.
Tan said some of their most popular products are items that have gone viral online, including Korean instant Buldak noodles and “fancy” ice creams molded into the shape of peaches, mangos and mandarins.
Councilwoman Joy Styles announced the grand opening of Pan-Asia Supermarket on Friday at 9 a.m. The Asian food shop will be located at 5255 Hickory Hollow Parkway in Antioch. The location is expected to become Pan-Asia Supermarket’s Flagship Store.(Tennessee Nashville Chinatown)Plans to develop Nashville’s Chinatown
The store has been busy since opening day.
“It’s a weekend every day,” Tan said, describing the steady lines of customers.
For Tan and the team at Pan-Asia, the crowds are about more than business. They see the store as a place where culture, memory and community meet.
“It means a lot to us because the community really accepts us into this area,” Tan said. “They can find their childhood memory here.”
Related: First building in Nashville’s new Chinatown to open in February
Pan-Asia Supermarket is just the beginning of what’s planned for Nashville’s Chinatown in Antioch. The full project is expected to include 10 restaurants, several retail offices and an event center. Developers estimate the buildout will be completed sometime in 2027.
In all, the project is expected to create about 300 construction jobs and roughly 500 full-time and part-time positions once all the businesses are open.
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