Cho Eden Supermarket

The only Asian supermarket around this area… it’s a little smelly… Alot of Asian supermarket smells… but this one I didn’t like the stench… There is about six people working here… A normal size supermarket… Sells the basics needs for Asian demographic… When I saw the bitter melon and jack fruit I was like whoa. Haven’t seen this stuff In awhile… the cost is quite pricey… Maybe living in NYC all my life and coming to va seeing everything is about twice as much is just weird… I’m in another state not another country… Why is is everything cost more here… There is about four register… Meat is located all the way in the back… there’s about three guys that work in the meat station… There is parking lot and there is actually a mini to go restaurant inside this supermarket… sells duck/​chicken/​pork… Pretty cool. reminds of NYC…

Went in to get a few vegetables a few weeks ago to make spring rolls. The produce is still hit-​or-​miss (as in, the yellow onions, cilantro, and ginger look good, the bananas have turned all brown, and the scallions look pitiful). The worst part was the check-​out process. Now, being Viet, I always like to joke that my people aren’t that great in the customer service department. I always lower my expectations slightly when I visit a Vietnamese-​run establishment.
I’m checking out, I have cash in hand, I have brought reusable bags. The cashier, who looks to be a manager, finishes checking the older Vietnamese lady in front of me. He bags all her groceries. He lets another person butt in front of me who wanted to buy a mango. He then checks out a person (again, in front of me) who just bought some duck from the deli. He then rings me up, and motions to me, «You pack your own bag.» There was one couple behind me and they didn’t have a lot of items. And he bags their items.
And this is why I don’t shop here very often.

The old market has been in Eden forever. It changed management now though and instead of the old Chinese name «Di Yi Chaoji Shichang» in Chinese lettering, they are using the Vietnamese name «Cho». Important for them in these days of uncertain military/​political conflict between the PRC and the SRV.
Market has more stuff and is much cleaner than before. The smell in the back is not so bad from the fresh fish and meat. Come here to get yummy Asian soft drinks, soy milk, and processed foods. In general they’re competitive price-​wise with the gigantic Korean supermarkets in the area.