In West Hartford, a celebration of AAPI Month and great food

It was in all ways a celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

But for Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz it also came with the possibility of a new place to shop for groceries.

Bysiewicz was at Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli  this week with West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor to note the importance of AAPI Heritage Month and the contributions made to Connecticut in business and in culture.

VFuji Mart Corp. Vice President Joshua Nakama gave Bysiewicz and Cantor a tour of the store’s offerings.

Located at 37 Raymond Road, the food and deli offers a wide selection of Japanese groceries, prepared foods, sushi, bento boxes, bubble tea and more. The store also has another location in Stamford and four other stores in the Boston area.

Nakama said that he is half Japanese, as his father is Japanese, and he has been back and forth to Okinawa, Japan throughout his life.

He said the store has been doing very well in the neighborhood since their opening in 2015.

Nakama said that while they were scouting places to expand within the state, they realized there are not a lot of places that have Asian grocery stores.

“There are some, there are especially a couple of big ones, but not ones that deliver the level of quality and especially Japanese goods. The other action grocery stores and stores carry just random Japanese products,” he said.

“This has been a really great location for us. The community really supports us. So I think we’re doing just fine,” he said.

Bysiewicz said that according to the Connecticut population census that there is a significant population of Japanese Americans living in Connecticut.

Bysiewicz told Nakama that it was her first time coming to the store and she was happy to find a grocery for Asian food so close to where she works, as it allows her to stop and pick up groceries on the way home.

She also noted the importance of supporting small local businesses.

“I know the mayor feels very strongly, (with) the Governor (Ned Lamont) and I…that it’s important to support independent businesses, because the benefit stays right here,” she said.

Events to mark Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month have been held across Connecticut. History.com, reports that the purpose of the month is to recognize the significant contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made in all facets of American life society.

The website also reports that the effort to officially recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions to the United States began in the late 1970s, and took more than 10 years to make it a permanent month-long celebration.

As of the 2020 U.S. Census, there were about 20.6 million people of Asian or Pacific Islander descent in the United States.

Both Bysiewicz and Cantor also expressed their gratitude to Nakama for the tour and choosing to place the store in the town.

Bysiewicz purchased some grocery items from the store and said that she has to come back soon, as she loves to cook.

She has also visited other businesses this month in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which include Million Asian Market in New Haven, and BouNom Café & Bakery in Avon.