Hmongtown Marketplace
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail, Food services, Cultural marketplace |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Toua Xiong, Nou (Vang) Xiong |
| Headquarters | Saint Paul, Minnesota , United States |
Area served | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
Key people | Toua Xiong (founder) |
| Products | Traditional foods, apparel, household items, fresh produce, cultural goods |
Number of employees | 600 |
Hmongtown Marketplace is a combined indoor and outdoor market focused on Hmong American goods and cultural expression, situated in Saint Paul's Frogtown neighborhood in Minnesota. As the pioneering marketplace owned and operated by Hmong Americans in the United States, it is celebrated for its unique culinary offerings and fresh produce.
Commonly referred to locally as the Hmong Farmers Market or Hmong Flea Market, it functions as a cultural center similar to a Chinatown, going beyond the typical retail environment.
Description
Located at 217 Como Ave in north Frogtown, two buildings accommodate more than 200 vendors who offer traditional foods, apparel, and household items representing Hmong and Hmong American heritage, including influences from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The market emulates the atmosphere of open-air markets found in cities like Chiang Mai and Vientiane, featuring culturally specific fruits, vegetables, nuts, and edible plants. Vendors also serve hot prepared dishes such as roasted meats, boba tea, papaya salad, and bánh mì. Household products range from electronics to religious artifacts and gardening tools. In 2024, a bank branch staffed with Hmong-speaking personnel was introduced to better serve the community.
During summer months, an outdoor extension nearly doubles the market’s size by increasing vendor participation to over 300. This open-air section offers fresh produce, meats, clothing, herbal remedies, live plants, and household goods. Employing around 600 individuals and attracting up to 20,000 visitors during peak events, the marketplace has earned the nickname "Hmong Mall of America." Its intricate arrangement of stalls is often described as "labyrinthine" or "byzantine."
Given its extensive size and diverse range of goods and services, Hmongtown is identified variously as a mall, supermarket, flea market, farmers market, marketplace, and food hall. Known locally as the Hmong Farmers Market or Hmong Flea Market—and simply as "Hmongtown"—it operates more as a cultural nucleus comparable to Chinatown rather than just a commercial venue.
Name
The idea of creating a "Hmongtown," inspired by ethnic enclaves like Chinatown, has been part of the Hmong American community’s vision for some time. In Anne Fadiman’s 1997 book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, she discusses Blia Yao Moua from Merced, a community leader who proposed establishing a Hmong-centered housing project named "Hmongtown" to support refugees by evoking memories of Laos. Although this initiative never came to fruition due to Moua’s eventual withdrawal caused by burnout, the concept persisted.
Hmong American poet Bryan Thao Worra designates Fresno as a Hmong American city alongside other ethnic communities and names his poem—and the city itself—Hmongtown.
Founder Toua Xiong first imagined turning Frogtown into Hmongtown around 2000. His entrepreneurial efforts led to launching the International Marketplace in 2004, which was renamed Hmongtown Marketplace in 2009. Xiong encourages dropping "Marketplace" from the title to emphasize that Hmongtown is "[n]ot just a bazaar but a community unto itself," highlighting its function as an all-encompassing business and cultural center.
History
Soliel Ho of Heavy Table characterizes Hmongtown as a testament to the Hmong community’s perseverance through displacement. Established in 2004 under the name International Marketplace by Saint Paul entrepreneurs and real estate developers Toua Xiong and Nou (Vang) Xiong, it was the first marketplace owned by Hmong Americans in the United States. The founders intended to create a communal space for first-generation Hmong immigrants, many of whom had escaped persecution following the Laotian Civil War. In its early days, the marketplace included video stores offering films and footage from Laos and Thailand, catering to the community’s longing for their homeland.
Hmongtown operates similarly to ethnic markets found in Laos and Vietnam, acting as both cultural and social centers for Minnesota’s Hmong population. These marketplaces nurture familial and kinship bonds, effectively serving as small Hmong villages transplanted into an unfamiliar country.
Toua Xiong’s personal history informs his entrepreneurial approach: born in Laos, he fled with his family to a refugee camp before relocating to St. Paul at age 17 with his wife Nou Vang. After settling in Frogtown, he completed college degrees in business and accounting within three years and earned a master’s degree in accounting, providing a solid foundation for his strategic leadership in shaping Hmongtown’s business framework.
Foodsmart
Before launching Hmongtown, the Xiong family managed Foodsmart (currently Sun Foods), an Asian grocery store situated in Unidale Mall on University Avenue in Frogtown, with an additional location in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Founded circa 1996 through business financing, Foodsmart featured an 80-stall farmers market, a Thai and Hmong restaurant offering buffet service, an event hall, and a facility producing Hmong sausage that sold approximately 700 pounds daily. Toua Xiong’s vision was to transform Frogtown into a vibrant Hmong neighborhood. From 1981 until 2005, Asian enterprises along University Avenue expanded from a single establishment to more than sixty.
Foodsmart actively participated in community efforts by hosting get-out-the-vote events organized by the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans and engaging in discussions related to the Metro Transit light rail Central Corridor project. Representatives from the store contributed to the Central Corridor Business Advisory Council. The venue also served as a fundraiser location for local Hmong organizations such as the Hmong Cultural Center Museum, which was founded following a meeting held at Foodsmart.
In 2002, The New York Times highlighted Foodsmart’s daily Hmong food buffet, while the Star Tribune commended its Thai and Hmong cuisine in 2001. That same year, Toua Xiong was honored with a minority business leader award from the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.
Subsequently, the Xiong family developed the International Marketplace multi-vendor center to broaden economic prospects for the Hmong community.
International Marketplace
The six-acre property now known as Hmongtown was formerly occupied by Shaw Stewart Lumber Co., located on Como Avenue near the St. Paul Capitol. Two original structures on-site remain—the East and West Buildings. As a relatively new business owner and English speaker, Toua Xiong encountered considerable redevelopment challenges while converting the site for grocery and retail purposes. Necessary improvements included installing sprinkler systems, adding restrooms, outfitting restaurants with exhaust fans, and enlarging sewer connections. Despite these obstacles, he successfully opened International Marketplace in 2004, creating one of Minnesota’s largest businesses owned by Hmong Americans.
On March 13, 2009, ownership of the property was fully transferred to the Xiong family who rebranded it as Hmongtown Marketplace. This acquisition expanded its function as both a cultural gathering place and commercial center. The strategic purchase strengthened their market position and reinforced their competitive edge in providing Southeast Asian cuisine and retail offerings throughout the year.
Impact
Hmongtown functions as a vital social and economic center for newly arrived Hmong immigrants, credited with generating numerous employment opportunities and fostering entrepreneurship within Minnesota's Hmong community. According to founder Toua Xiong, many of the vendors primarily speak a Hmong dialect, which allows them to secure jobs and start businesses while adjusting to life in the United States.
In recognition of his leadership at Hmongtown, Toua Xiong was honored with the Immigrant of Distinction award in 2010 by the Minnesota-Dakotas chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
The marketplace gained nationwide attention through a 2019 episode of CNN's United Shades of America, which won an Emmy Award and featured both Xiong and local Hmong American chef Yia Vang. Furthermore, Andrew Zimmern highlighted Hmongtown’s distinctive culinary offerings—including papaya salad, fried intestines, bitter bamboo soup, and Hmong sausage paired with purple sticky rice—on his shows Bizarre Foods America (2012) and Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations (2016).
Culture
The Hmong community represents the largest Asian diaspora in Minnesota, which ranks second nationwide for its Hmong population. Serving as a central gathering place, Hmongtown Marketplace supports small-scale Hmong business owners economically while also acting as a cultural and social nexus. Nearby, Hmong Village operates with a similar mission within the Little Mekong Cultural District, an area rich in Asian-owned businesses and cultural landmarks.
Although primarily focused on Hmong heritage, the marketplace hosts vendors from various ethnic groups residing in Saint Paul's Frogtown neighborhood—recognized as the city’s most ethnically diverse district. Among these entrepreneurs are individuals from Nepali, African American, and Mexican backgrounds. More than half of Hmongtown’s patrons are white, illustrating its wide-ranging appeal. Owner Toua Xiong deliberately positions the market to attract those unfamiliar with Hmong culture, thereby expanding its influence and fostering community integration.
Art and crafts
At Hmongtown, vendors showcase traditional Hmong textile art, including woven baskets () and various styles of flower cloth (), such as batik-dyed fabric () and story cloths that narrate aspects of Hmong life and history. Basketry items include Blue Hmong baby carriers. Numerous sellers offer materials like embroidery thread, coins, beads, and metal components essential for textile creation. Some textiles are manufactured overseas in countries such as Laos to benefit from lower labor costs before being retailed by family vendors at the marketplace. More affordable machine-produced polyester garments imported from China compete against costlier handmade hemp skirts, batik fabrics, story cloths, and . Nevertheless, there has been a noticeable decline in handcrafted textiles—particularly handwoven hemp and batik-dyed cloth.
Hmongtown plays an important role in preserving cultural heritage through textile arts. One study participant reflected on how assisting at her mother’s booth motivated her to continue traditional embroidery practices to maintain cultural knowledge across generations.
Ten story cloths created by artisans Sy Vang Lo and Khang Vang Yang from Hmongtown have been displayed at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures and Northern Illinois University’s Pick Museum. Vang Lo directed the Hmong Folk Art Center located in Eagan, Minnesota, and her family’s traditional pieces are included in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Photography by Hmong American artist Pao Houa Her, whose work was selected for the prestigious Whitney Biennial, adorns the seating area of the West Building food court. Her exhibit, featuring accompanying text by poet and playwright May Lee-Yang, received acclaim for challenging established museum narratives. The simultaneous exhibitions at both the Walker Art Center and Hmongtown underscore the market’s cultural importance.
Additional artists showcased include Tetsuya Yamada, HOTTEA, and Ka Oskar Ly, illustrating Hmongtown’s role as a venue for diverse contemporary art alongside traditional craft forms.
Cuisine
Hmongtown is widely acclaimed for its ready-to-eat meals and fresh produce, earning accolades such as being named "one of the state’s premier culinary treasures" by the Star Tribune and recognized as a gastronomic "destination" by Saveur. Soliel Ho of Heavy Table characterizes it as a lively center for Hmong-American culture, showcasing traditional attire, DVDs, and a bustling food court environment. The Italian publication Latitudes described Hmongtown as "unmissable." Esteemed food figures including five-time James Beard Award nominee Diane Moua and critic Andrew Zimmern have praised its culinary offerings, with Zimmern referring to it as "the country’s best little-known ethnic market." Additionally, Minnesota Monthly featured Hmongtown in their "Foodie 40," emphasizing its affordable culinary experiences and labeling it "ground zero" for chicken wings.
Most meals are priced below $15, with eateries operating throughout the day serving authentic Hmong and Southeast Asian cuisine. Reflecting the diverse origins of Hmong culinary traditions, the menu incorporates flavors from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico. A distinctive Minnesota specialty is the Hmong-style barbecue, which includes pork sausages such as and , seasoned with Thai chili and lemongrass. Signature dishes include (and its Hmong variation ), (red curry noodle soup), (minced meat salad), (tapioca-based dessert), purple rice, boba tea, mangonada, and papaya salad.
Prominent vendors alongside their hallmark dishes include:
- 5-Star Deli: fried chicken wings stuffed with egg roll filling (), chicken meatball skewers, nab vam dessert
- Golden Cuisine: whole roast chicken larb
- Her Kitchen: beef pho
- Hmong Express Cuisine: papaya salad
- Hmobb Kitchen: mok pa (catfish steamed in banana leaves)
- Hmoob Cafe: beef ribs, pork with mustard greens, mok pa, papaya salad
- Kad's Deli: jian dui (Chinese filled donut)
- Mr. Papaya: crispy pork belly paired with spiced green mango
- Mai's Kitchen: sai krok (fermented pork sausage)
- Sida Kitchen: foot-long Thai/Lao style Hmong sausage
- Twin Tropic Cafe: chocolate and blackberry bubble teas; meatball soup (fawm)
- Xieng Khoung Kitchen: spring rolls
Hmongtown’s reputation as a culinary hotspot is reinforced by its inclusion in travel publications such as Lonely Planet, Condé Nast Traveler, and Wildsam Field Guides.
From May through October, an outdoor market operates featuring fresh produce alongside vegetable starter plants.
The produce assortment highlights Southeast Asian varieties often missing from conventional grocery stores. Much of this is cultivated locally by Hmong farmers. Notable items include rambutan, Hmong yellow and red cucumbers, bitter melon, purple lemongrass, sugar cane, Thai chili, pea eggplant, dried bamboo shoots, winter melon, radish greens, various bok choy types (including Shanghai bok choy), Chinese broccoli, Thai basil, longan, lychee, pomelo, mangosteen, persimmon, okra, and jackfruit. This extensive range supports the market’s strategy of providing authentic ingredients that foster customer loyalty and distinguish Hmongtown within the ethnic food sector.
Events
In June 2016, Hmongtown inaugurated the annual Hmongtown Festival—a two-day celebration honoring Hmong heritage and culture. Company founder Toua Xiong—who honed his musical talents while living in a refugee camp—performed at the festival’s first edition. The event gained further prominence when Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan attended in 2019, underscoring its importance within the region.
Health
Vendors at Hmongtown provide a range of traditional Hmong and Southeast Asian herbal remedies alongside imported non-prescription medications, drawing customers from around the world and helping to maintain cultural traditions. Healthcare institutions such as M Health Fairview and Regions Hospital procure postpartum Hmong herbal products from Hmongtown to support culturally sensitive care and enhance maternal health outcomes.
Serving as a vital community center, Hmongtown plays a key role in public health efforts aimed at the Hmong population. It facilitates outreach programs promoting breast cancer screenings and initiatives focused on minimizing exposure to harmful heavy metals found in skin whitening products and certain fish. Moreover, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the marketplace hosted vaccination clinics, underscoring its commitment to community health involvement.
2013 federal drug raid
In June 2013, authorities conducted a raid at Hmongtown, seizing large quantities of illegal pharmaceuticals, including penicillin, opiates, and improperly labeled over-the-counter drugs. Vendors underwent comprehensive body searches after prior warnings regarding the sale of such items. Fourteen individuals were charged with offenses including distribution of misbranded drugs, possession and sale of unlicensed medications, syringe sales, and illegal possession of poisons.
The raid sparked debate among local observers about its implementation and underlying reasons. Tiffany Vang contended that vendors deliberately sold unlawful products to capitalize on Hmong customers who lacked access to conventional healthcare services, framing the matter as one of unethical commerce and economic hardship rather than cultural or language barriers. In contrast, Sia Her, former head of the Minnesota Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, emphasized that these drugs were traditionally used by elder Hmong communities in Laos or Thailand.
Following the incident, the Minnesota Department of Health initiated an educational program collaborating with Hmongtown vendors to improve understanding of drug safety standards and U.S. regulatory requirements. A comparable investigation took place in 2018 at the nearby Hmong Village shopping center.
Expansion
Hmongtown intends to broaden its offerings by introducing senior daycare and housing facilities alongside cultural programming such as an art gallery, live music events, and permanent historical exhibitions. Plans also include constructing an underground parking garage and office spaces. In 2018, a state grant aided Hmongtown and the Saint Paul Port Authority in assessing redevelopment possibilities for a contaminated parcel intended for mixed residential and commercial purposes.
Expansion beyond the main site involves partnerships with nonprofits and museums. Founders Toua Xiong and Nou Xiong established a nearby cultural center for Hmong and Karen communities through Hi Hi LLC. Toua Xiong additionally leads Hmongtown Connections, which organizes the annual Hmongtown Festival.
Pan Asian Center
A second Hmongtown location is planned by Xiong for 2025 within the former Sears building at Maplewood Mall. This 14-acre property will be transformed into a marketplace designed to attract younger demographics with expanded services. The sale of the Sears site was finalized in December 2024; however, opening has encountered "financial hurdles," according to Ben Hamd, managing director at Brookwood Capital Advisors.
Originally named "Hmongtown 2," the development was renamed Pan Asian Center, featuring a phased construction plan submitted to Maplewood city officials in February 2025. The former Macy's store at the mall—acquired by a consortium including Hmongtown in March 2025—will also be incorporated into this expansion.
This announcement ranked among the most significant stories of 2024 covered by the Hmong community publication Hmong Times.
Similar markets
In the three primary US regions with significant Hmong populations—Saint Paul, Fresno, and Milwaukee—there are substantial marketplace-style enterprises catering to Hmong vendors. The Hmong Village Shopping Center, inaugurated near Hmongtown in Saint Paul in 2009, hosts more than 200 permanent vendor spaces, establishing it as the largest Hmong marketplace nationwide. Developed by Hmong American business owners, this center operates on a warehouse concept, leasing stalls to vendors who offer a variety of goods and services, with an emphasis on food items and fresh produce.
Milwaukee is home to Asian Market Phongsavan (also known as 5XEN Super Asian Market), established by Hmong entrepreneurs in 2009, which accommodates approximately 70 vendor booths and dining establishments. Furthermore, in 2014, Pacific Produce grocery store in Milwaukee dedicated a section of its warehouse to create Hmong Town Market, featuring ready-to-eat food stalls managed by Wisconsin-based Hmong American businesspeople. These marketplaces serve as vital entrepreneurial hubs that contribute significantly to local economic development and foster community-driven business growth within the Hmong American population.
See also
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