This past June, the family-owned Hero Sushi and Asian Grocery opened its doors at 21 Macintyre Lane beside Middlebury Discount Beverage, inviting students and locals to enjoy a cozy, welcoming space filled with fresh Asian food and distinctive snacks.
Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., the shop’s offerings span from fresh sushi and ready-to-go items like kimchi and dumplings, to snacks, beverages, and hair-care products from across Asia, including countries like China, Korea, Thailand, and Myanmar.
Owner Aung Oo prepares all the sushi and other freshly made dishes, while his niece and business assistant, Twal Tar Su, along with her cousins, curate the snack selection based on personal favorites, resulting in a wide variety that reflects their different tastes.
Oo has over 10 years of experience as a sushi chef, having worked in Albany, NY and most recently at Hannaford in Middlebury. However, according to Su, he has wanted to open his own sushi store for as long as she can remember.
“He would like to taste the best version of sushi at Middlebury,” Su said.
In April, Oo took the first step toward opening the business by acquiring the space. Over the next two months, he secured a food license to prepare sushi and filled the store with a diverse selection of products.
The store has not launched any large-scale advertising and remains in its soft launch phase. Su explained that, with limited staff and little prior experience running a retail business, they are not yet prepared to manage an overwhelming volume of customers. For now, their outreach consists of posts on Facebook and Google Maps, with most business resulting from word of mouth.
Despite limited advertising, Hero Sushi & Grocery has consistently earned positive reviews on both Google and Facebook since opening, according to Su.
“Customers always make comments on our page, like the sushi is the best. And then they always tell their neighbors or friends about it,” Su said.
To ensure top-quality food, Oo sources premium ingredients and continually works to refine his craft.
The store is also a draw for Middlebury students. Kendall Clayton ’26 and Laila Almefty-Hernandez ’26 first learned about it through friends and have since visited several times.
“I heard three people from different friend groups being like ‘Did you hear there’s a new Asian market in town’?’’ Almefty-Hernandez said.
Similarly, Clayton, who had never shopped at an Asian grocery store before, was struck by the variety of unfamiliar products during her first visit. Since then, she has tried the sushi, kimchi, melon-flavored popsicle sticks, and several drinks.
Almefty-Hernandez also praised the store’s variety, purchasing a Thai iced tea and sushi on her visit. In the past, she had to travel to Burlington for Asian groceries. However, with this new store in town, Almefty-Hernandez believes she can save the hour-long trip.
“It was bigger than I thought, which is exciting. I don’t often go past Royal Oak, just for convenience. So now I know there’s a place out there that’s worth it,” Almefty-Hernandez said.
Beyond its products, the store places a strong emphasis on customer service. Alongside Su and her uncle Oo, Su’s aunt and cousins frequently help in the shop. Her aunt manages the finances while everyone else pitches in with day-to-day tasks. Su shared that their family, originally from Myanmar, sometimes faces challenges communicating due to a language barrier. Regardless, as a family-owned business, they strive to build personal connections with customers and ensure each one leaves satisfied.
“They seemed family-run because the people there were really sweet when we walked in,” Clayton said.
Following its successful soft launch, the store plans to hold a grand opening in the coming months, introducing new sushi varieties and additional products.
Agnes Wang (she/her) is a Local Editor.
Aside from the paper, Agnes is a part of the Chess Club, Community Friends, Sib2Sib, and the SIC. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, listening to music, reading, film, stargazing, and talking with people. Though she prefers dogs, Agnes has five cats and zero dogs.
She is currently an undecided major and hopes to figure it out soon!
