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Diversity has been essential to Toua Xiong's success. Diversity in his product. Diversity in his customers. And diversity in the St. Paul neighborhood where his Foodsmart grocery store and cafe has blossomed into a cultural hotbed.
"This has always been a diverse neighborhood and there has always been a need for this kind of store," said Xiong, the store's owner. "But now we're getting cusomers from all over the place."
Opened in 1997 on the corner of University Avenue and Dale Street in St. Paul, the 26,000-square-foot Foodsmart specializes in American and international foods, be it Asian, Middle Eastern or Mexican. It is one of the few places in the Twin Cities where a shopper can find Wonder Bread in one aisle and then Hmong pork sausage in the next. And don't forget the Asian deli or the aisle of imported Mexican spices.
"It is a great store for everybody," said Ny Wang, a frequent shopper. "(Xiong) knows what this area needed and he got it."
More than just a grocery store,...