Fooks Foods Moves to New Store

Fooks Foods, a Baxter Street market famous for its wide selection of Asian foods, has relocated to The Shops of South Milledge Avenue. The new space offers more space---triple that of the old location--- at a more affordable price, says owner Karen Fooks.

“We’ll have more room for more varieties,” she said. There will be more kinds of instant noodles and soy sauces, “since, well, you can’t have enough different soy sauces,” Fooks says. She plans to carry an organic line of soy sauces.

The extra space will let her carry more and different frozen and refrigerated products, she says. She has already ordered all-natural dumplings and will be offering more meat and seafood.

“I think there’s just going to be more,” she says.

The move makes South Milledge the shopping hub for international students and local cooks seeking fresh ingredients and prepared foods from China and other Asian countries.

Fooks Foods' new home is down the block and across the street from the Oriental Market, already a magnet for students from Family Housing who are shopping for traditional Chinese foods.

Fooks Foods has a large selection of traditional Asian foods from China, Japan, Korea and Thailand, while the Oriental Market carries only Chinese food. More and more Asian students are enrolling at UGA, and the two grocery stores are a lifeline for them.

“Without it, those guys will have to eat hamburgers, hot dogs, and die,” said Lisa Caron, the manager of Smoke ‘N Choke, which is next door to the Oriental Market.

Transportation in Athens can be a challenge for international students, because bus service is limited and traffic can be heavy. With Fooks Foods' relocation, customers can now take Athens Transit bus number.14 to get there. This bus serves UGA family housing and Lakeside, where many international students live when they first arrive.

Shoppers will be able to visit both grocery stores on the same trip. And they’re excited.

“The Prawn Flavored Chips makes me homesick,” said Yuan Yue. She comes from Tianjin in northern China and buys the chips at Fooks. But when she needs fresh vegetables, she usually goes to the Oriental Market.

Because Fooks Foods’ new space is larger, it  won’t be crowded during rush hours. According to manager Karen Fooks, the new shop is less likely to run out of popular goods, such as YAKI-SOBA.

“I am going to have more freezers and add more frozen food, such as shrimp meatballs to satisfy customers,” said Fooks.

Fooks Foods will keep the same hours, from 10 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. The Oriental Market is usually open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday. On Saturday it will be open from 10 a.m, to 8:00 p.m..

 “I have two majors, and I don’t have time especially in the afternoon, so I can only go there (the Oriental Market) in the weekend,” said Zhang Li, who lives near South Milledge Avenue.

Having the two stores close together will probably bring in more customers for both, but competition will be inevitable. 

“I am going to be busier after October,” said, Amy Xue, the manager of the Oriental Market. “Many more students will get to know my shop and drop in more often.”

“Customers like my food,” said Fooks, “I have more variety than the Oriental.”

The table tennis paddles and balls, familiar to her long-time customers, accompanied Fooks to the new space, so prepare to play as well as pay.