Photo by Daniel Clark/Nevada Sagebrush

If you want to get a taste of Hispanic culture without crossing the border, a short drive down to King Ranch Market on Wells Avenue will satisfy your curiosity. Pop your head into the store to find Reno’s largest Hispanic food store.  However, the strong authentic atmosphere will shock some.

Don’t be surprised if someone speaks Spanish to you, the employees and regular customers will naturally assume that you speak the language.  Since most of the employees don’t speak English, be patient, there is bound to be someone around who will act as a translator.

Even though this place isn’t the cleanest, the people here are very friendly no matter what language you speak.  They will be happy to help.

As for prices, store director Gerardo Amaya proudly boasts about his store.

“It’s cheaper than anywhere else,” Amaya said.

By gauging the flow of customers in and out of this store, it’s safe to say that the customers do indeed like the prices as well as the wide selection of American products in addition to the Hispanic food.

The bad only thing about this place is the parking.

“I parked my car down the street and walked about a block because I couldn’t find parking in the parking lot,” Dimas Castan, a local customer, said.

For two years now, King Ranch Market has served its customers to the best of their abilities.

“I enjoy working with the people who come to my store,” Amaya said.  “Their smiles make me happy.”

King Ranch Market is located at 1500 S. Wells Ave., Reno, NV 89502.  For more information call (775) 786-8788.

Reno’s little secret is Ellen Woo’s Mon Fon Asian Supermarket is a treasure trove of savory exotic goods tucked away on West Fifth Street.

Heavily influenced by the fusion of Asian cultures, Ellen Woo’s balances a wide varity of assorted goods from unusual delicacies of parrot fish and dried black fungus to packets of noodles and mounds of rice. What you can’t find at a normal grocery store, you’ll sure find here.

A Chinese shrine located at the entrance of the store is put there for protection to ward off evil. Unpeeled oranges and sets of tea cups filled with tea act as offerings.

The pungent aroma, a lucky kitty statue, decorative lanterns along the wall and a smiling Buddha screams of authenticity. It’s almost like walking into a Chinatown shop but a very clean version.

Surprisingly enough, although it may seem small from the outside, it’s the amount of supplies packed in there that give customers a good selection of exotic goods that lure locals and out-of-towners into the store.

“We are the biggest Asian shop in Reno,” owner Ellen Woo said.

Her husband Tony Mai is happy with the clientele that is made up of differnent races.

“Most of my customers are 60% white people,” Mai said. “The other 40% is made up of different Asians from Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and some Cambodian. We even get a lot of Chinese and Japanese students that come here from UNR,” Mai said.

The prices are very reasonable and the six employees are very friendly. The most important of all, the store is very clean and organized.

Woo said she is very proud of her selection.

“I like the snacks, vegetables, the spicy seasonings and the gifts we offer here,” Woo said. “This store is really popular and the international students know me well.”

Originally from Mainland, China, Woo and her family lived in the Bay Area before settling down in Reno seven years ago. Many may not know about Ellen Woo’s but those that do are loyal customers.

“We don’t advertise much but our customers come from word of mouth, from friend to friend,” Woo said.