Thank you for supporting local, family-owned businesses, and we hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during these difficult times. Amidst this phase of darkness and uncertainty, we hope to spark a little joy with our story of how one family established the first and largest Asian food grocery store in Chattanooga, TN. When Dr. Alex and Miss Lynn moved to Chattanooga from Laos in 1973, they had little but the clothing on their backs and a few packed bags. Like many immigrant families, they came to the US in search of better opportunities for themselves and their children. As an esteemed physician, Dr. Alex joined the surgery department at Parkridge Hospital, where he would continue to work for over 20 years. But with six young children starting school, they knew one source of income might not be enough. Upon first arriving to the states, our family experienced a great culture shock, as none of the ingredients in American grocery stores resembled the type of food we ate back home in Asia. To support her family and bring a taste of our culture to this small Tennessee town, Miss Lynn decided to open her very own Asian food grocery store in 1981. At first, her entrepreneurial effort was an uphill struggle, for not many Chattanoogans were familiar with Asian cuisine or cooking styles. But slowly and surely, Miss Lynn shared her love of cooking and the exquisite tastes of Asian food with the community. Together, they built Asian Food & Gifts from a small, single-aisle shop to the great store you know and love today. While the store has remained steadfast throughout these past 40 years, our family has overcome times of loss and change. Miss Lynn has also recently retired, and she is now able to spend more time visiting dear friends and family, including all of her 12 grandchildren. In her place you will find her son Paul, who now manages daily business operations. With his insightful business skills and the help of his wife Debbie, Paul has been able to grow AFG and further expand the scope of our inventory. If you walk into our store now, you’ll find it has grown six-times since opening day back in 1981. We now carry a vast selection of fresh produce, rice, noodles, frozen baos and dumplings, countless instant ramen, a plethora of sweet and savory snacks, and any type of Asian sauce under the sun. Our store has become more than a place to pick up groceries; it is a cultural space where we can share our heritage through traditional foods and recipes. Our products represent a wide range of Asian cuisines, including popular Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, and Malaysian ingredients. Miss Lynn and Paul proved that through resilience and a strong work ethic, a shared appreciation for good food can transcend cultural boundaries. Finally, the third-generation of AFG lies in Paul’s two children: Eliza and Evan. Although they are both currently pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at Emory University, his children continue to support the backbone of this business. Together, they introduced AFG to the new age of technology and social media. You can now find our lively presence on Instagram and Facebook, where we post regular updates, fun recipes, and exclusive sales promotions. At the end of the day, we have learned that family is what matters most, and at AFG we consider our family to be both our staff and the community we serve. With local confirmed cases of Covid-19 rising in Chattanooga, we sincerely ask that you continue to practice safe health measures like wearing a face mask and socially distancing while shopping in our store. As always, we offer free hand sanitizer and disposable gloves to wear while you shop. For vulnerable shoppers, we provide exclusive shopping hours and a parking lot pick-up service on Mondays. To the very best of our ability, we will continue to provide the most authentic ingredients at the cheapest prices. Together, we are .
