KIN Asian Market marks third anniversary, plans new café in Bemidji

KIN Asian Market is marking three years in Bemidji with a new café on the way at 1426 Bemidji Ave. N., turning a specialty market near Bemidji State University into a broader food stop for shoppers and students. The expansion adds another sign that the city’s Asian-food scene is no longer limited to a single restaurant lane, but is spreading across downtown and the university area.

Patcharin “Meow” Nuankhao and her husband started their Minnesota restaurant work as chefs at Tara Thai in downtown Bemidji in 2020. Three years ago, Nuankhao became manager of KIN Asian Market near BSU, and one year later she took over as owner. The new café is being added as part of that business’s growth, building on the market’s existing food-and-drink offerings.

A business listing ties KIN Asian Market to boba tea and Kin Poke, giving the expansion a familiar base. That matters in Bemidji because the shop is not opening from scratch; it is extending an operation that already serves customers looking for groceries, drinks and quick meals in one place. The café plan suggests Nuankhao sees room for more prepared food and drink demand at the same address.

The business has also already weathered a rough patch. In June 2025, KIN Asian Market and Kin Poke were closed until further notice after storm damage and a power outage. The temporary shutdown showed how a local weather event can interrupt small food businesses in Bemidji, especially ones that depend on refrigeration, daily foot traffic and steady service hours.

KIN’s growth comes as Bemidji’s Asian dining options have widened. Tara Thai remains a familiar downtown fixture, and a newer Thai-American fusion restaurant has opened downtown as well. Together with KIN Asian Market, those businesses point to a food economy that is becoming more varied, with more room for noodle dishes, rice bowls, boba tea and specialty ingredients than the city has had in the past.

For Bemidji’s north side and the area around Bemidji State University, the café plan adds another layer of activity to a business already anchored at 1426 Bemidji Ave. N. What began as an Asian market is now moving further into prepared food service, and that shift reflects where local customer demand has been heading.