A Journey of Hope: Establishing Home in Walnut Grove
For many, the move from the bustling Twin Cities to the quiet streets of Walnut Grove was a matter of timing and family. In 2001, the owner of Bubai Foods, Terry Yang (Tooj Ntxawg Yaj) made that exact leap, leaving Saint Paul behind. Driven by rising housing costs in the metro and encouraged by relatives who had already migrated from California, the family found an unexpected sanctuary in southwestern Minnesota.
The transition was remarkably swift; drawn by the town’s affordability, the owner purchased a four-bedroom home for just $18,000—sight unseen—based solely on a family member's recommendation.
By 2003, they opened WG Oriental Store at 611 Main Street in Walnut Grove. At the time, the Hmong community in Walnut Grove was still small, but the business grew quickly due to the Terry's strategic plan to cater to both the newer Hmong residents and the existing community of non-Hmong residents. Two years later, the family seized a unique opportunity to purchase the connecting store, Griffith’s, a long-standing grocery and retail staple at 601 Main Street. Griffith’s was a cornerstone of the community, providing essential goods to both the town’s elders and residents.
For several years, the family operated both locations simultaneously. In 2008, they officially merged the businesses into a single entity: Bubai Foods. The expansion was literal and physical; they remodeled by adding an entrance between the two units and eventually purchased the entire structure to increase their inventory.
For fifteen years, Bubai was more than just a grocery store. Its deli became a local favorite, serving up staples like fried chicken, steam rolls, egg rolls, and rice. While other Hmong entrepreneurs had operated their own stores before Terry —a short-lived shop in 1992 and small-scale family operations in Tracy that closed by 2015— Terry and his family built something that endured. They didn't just serve the Hmong families who began arriving in the early '90s; they became a staple for the entire town. A key to their success was keeping the manager on staff when they took over. By offering her a raise and benefits, they maintained a vital bridge of trust with the local existing patrons. In a small town, those connections are everything.
However, by 2020, the landscape began to shift. Terry's older brother, a cornerstone of their daily operations, fell ill. After years of hard work, the exhaustion had set in, and the family realized it was time to prioritize their families and rest. They made the difficult decision to sell both the business and the building along with it.
The store is now in the hands of Mark Vue, a young entrepreneur who has operated it since Terry and his brother's retirement. The shop has changed since their departure; their longtime manager is no longer there, and with her, some of the old local connections seem to have faded. However, new products and new ideas have been implemented with the new owners.
Reflecting on his journey, the store’s legacy is about more than just commerce. In the early days, Hmong elders often moved away or moved back to the cities because they felt isolated. By building this shop and fostering Hmong organizations in the town, it helped turn a group of twenty families into a true community. They weren't just selling supplies; they were providing a reason to stay. Reflecting on the journey of the Hmong community in Walnut Grove is a lesson in resilience and the power of "place."
Establishing Place
In the early 1990s, Hmong families began arriving in the area, drawn by the promise of work at local companies and affordable homes. However, the initial transition was difficult. At one point, about 20 families called this area home, but the lack of a cultural infrastructure made it hard for them to stay. For the elders especially, the absence of Hmong-specific resources and a central community hub felt isolating, leading many to move away. This was exactly why Terry's shop became more than just a business—it became an anchor.
Recognizing that families needed a reason to stay, local Hmong community leaders, such as Terry, began building connections and organizations that bridged the Hmong communities of Walnut Grove, Tracy, and Marshall. The shop evolved into the core of this network. Today, while some have moved to larger cities, the community is seeing a shift: younger Hmong families are establishing themselves here, creating a sustainable community that didn't exist thirty years ago.
For many of them, the shop remains a daily necessity and a social touchstone. Whether it’s visiting the new water station or walking over for daily needs, its proximity to home provides a sense of stability. It is a place where they are seen and understood.
A Changing Landscape
The environment has shifted significantly in recent years, particularly since the pandemic. Walnut Grove is famous as the home of the Little House on the Prairie, and in the summers before COVID-19, the shop would bustle with tourists and shuttle buses. While those crowds have thinned, the shop’s cultural significance remains etched into the town’s very architecture.
Perhaps the most striking symbol of connections to community is the mural on the shop’s exterior wall. Prior to 2012, the wall featured an image of Jesus and Mary. However, with the unanimous support and excitement of the mayor at the time, Greg Hanson, and local leadership, the image was transformed to include a Hmong woman standing next to Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie.
The painting, designed and completed by artist Greg Wimmer and assistant Adrienne Lobl, was completed with unanimous support from the community. The city’s approval wasn't just a permit; it was an embrace. It signaled that the Hmong community wasn't just passing through—they were home.
