After 21 years of dedicated service, Joseph and Maria Lee, the founders of Wang Tauranga, a beloved local Asian grocery store, have decided to retire and pass the business to a younger couple. 

His journey extends beyond merely providing groceries; Wang Tauranga has been a true Asian community hub under Joseph's care.

“It has become a place where customers can come and not feel homesick,” says Joseph.

The store opened in 2003 as the first Asian supermarket in Tauranga at the time.

“In my case, when I came to Tauranga there was no Asian market, they were only in Auckland so when I wanted to get Korean food I would drive for three hours to do grocery shopping,” he says.

Six months after Joseph arrived in Tauranga he saw the necessity and began to develop an Asian grocery store.

“I started from ground zero, the first five years were very difficult,” he says

“It was extremely difficult at the start because there was a small Korean community and the non-Asian Tauranga community was not interested in buying Asian grocery products at the time.

“For the first five years, there were almost no customers at all, we started from ground zero but then with more things popping up like K-pop culture it started to go up quite rapidly.”

In the beginning, Joseph says there were only about four Korean families in Tauranga, now, he says, there are about 150 families.

“I made a Korean complex building, there is a hair salon called Michelle’s Hair Salon, a mechanic called Car On, and a bank,” he says.

Joseph started with the food market and turned the building into a Korean complex where everyone can speak Korean.

“They are all Korean,” he says.

“When people are moving to town from overseas and they are dealing with language difficulties, the whole complex can speak Korean, making it easier for them and acting as a community hub or a stepping stone for Korean families to join the community.

Joseph says some of his customers have said they would search for Asian grocery stores before coming to New Zealand and they would contact him and ask him questions about the city.

There are “Around 350 families that go to the market on a regular basis,” he says.

The Lee family (left to right) Anna, Joseph, Maria and Dominic Lee oustide thier store of 21 years. Photo supplied.

Covid-19: a difficult time

“Covid-19 was an interesting time, the market was asked to stay open as an essential service,” he says.

“At the time of Covid, everyone rushed to you for groceries, so a lot of the Asian community that had grown and blossomed all raced to the shop as it had been asked to stay open as an essential service.

“There was limited stock and lines were going all around the building outside, I had to try and manage what was going on outside and inside the store.”

During Covid times the product most sort after and often out of stock was toilet paper for most supermarkets, but for Wang Asian Market Tauranga, the most sort after product was rice.

“There was a shortage of rice and rice is very important,” says Joseph.

Joseph’s most cherished memory from the store

Joseph and his store often gave financial support to the Bethlehem College string group for their trips to Australia and competitions.

“My children went to Bethlehem College and they play violin and cello and I supported the string group,” says Joseph.

Joseph says that his most cherished memory was “at the end-of-year celebration they came out in performance attire with his logo on it and he was attending and he was very touched.”

Josephs son Dominic says, “With how the community and Bethlehem College and the parents supported the shop he wanted to give back.

"It was a beautiful moment for him.”

Passing on the baton

When starting the store it was important for Joseph to bring a piece of Korea to Tauranga.

When passing on the baton to the young couple taking over the store, he wants to ensure that Korean culture continues to be shared here in the bay.

“The new owner is quite energetic and are a person who shares the vision,” he says.

“They are very relevant with the next generation and I am very excited for that transfer.”

The business will be transferred over on Friday 26 January.

“The countdown begins,” says Dominic.

The new owner is a loyal customer of the market, they are a couple with a family and their son goes to Bethlehem College as their children did.

Joseph was able to bring a piece of Korea and now his hopes and aspirations are that the new owners will ensure that Korean culture continues to be shared in the community here in the bay.

After the passing over of the business, Joseph says he wants to get involved in community work.

He says he was given a lot of support from the community for his business and to support his children and now he wants to give back to the community and do what he can with his gifts and talents.

The Lee family at the surprise celebration at the shop last Friday. Photo supplied.

The legacy of Wang Asian Market Tauranga

Joseph's commitment to serving beyond the shelves is evident in the various ways he cultivated a sense of community.

From hosting traditional Asian sporting events in the back car park, and supporting local Asian food and produce businesses, to bringing families together, Wang Tauranga has become more than just a store. 

Last Friday marked a significant moment as Joseph’s children, Anna and Dominic Lee, both internationally acclaimed musicians, organised a surprise celebration at the shop.

The gathering featured a symbolic concert and ceremony, honouring their father’s legacy and the community he fostered.

In Joseph's own words on that memorable day, “It was the community that made this business possible, and the people that made it all worth the blood, sweat, and tears.”