Sui Thawng, right, owner of the S. International Market, is shown during the store’s grand opening June 12, 2025, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. From left are his sister-in-law, Na Ci, his daughter, Van Sui, niece, Zing Chin, and niece, Mary, in front. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Customers can find milk, eggs and other staples alongside more exotic options at a new store in southeast Cedar Rapids, not far from where a Hy-Vee closed one year ago.

The S. International Market, 803 Third Ave. SE, held its grand opening Thursday, June 12, 2025, in the former Jeff Jones Furniture building, previously the home of Hawkeye Seed Co.

Hy-Vee closed its store at 1556 First Ave. NE in June 2024, but Sui Thawng, owner of the S. International Market, said that’s not what drew him to Cedar Rapids.

Z102.9 helped celebrate the grand opening of the S. International Market in Cedar Rapids on June 12. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

He and his wife, Eli Tha, who both immigrated to the United States from Myanmar, have operated a store in Waterloo for six years, and customers asked that they open one in Cedar Rapids.

“It’s not because of Hy-Vee, but I think this is the perfect time,” Sui said. “I’ll be happy if we can fill a need.”

The store carries frozen foods, such as Asian dumplings and mango ice cream; okra, mangoes and other fresh produce; drinks, including coconut water and African ginger drink; as well as spices, rice, seafood, goat and lamb meat and more.

Eggs at the S. International Market are from a local farm. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Eggs are from a local farm and Sui said he will carry what customers request, as he does with his Waterloo store.

New tariffs have made imports challenging, with price increases even before he opened, he said, but customers are generally willing to pay higher prices for the basics they need.

Family members will be operating the store from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Sui had worked at a meatpacking plant for 11 years before he and his wife opened their Waterloo store.

The S. International Market held its grand opening June 12, 2025, in Cedar Rapids. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

“It’s OK for a family,” he said. “With a grocery, we can spend more time with the kids and still pay the bills.”

The S. International Market opened before the Hornbill Asian Market, which had been announced in October 2024 to be leasing a location in the 1400 block of First Avenue SE.

It joins the Saigon Market, 803 Second Ave. SE, just up the block, which has been in business since 1993, following another store at the same site.

The Hy-Vee site remains vacant.

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