SF welcomes Talin Market with open arms

“Santa Fe is a very international city and I think a lot of people can understand what we’re selling, understand a lot of the ingredients we’re selling. I think it’s just a natural fit for us,” Director of Operations Victor Limray said.

Harry Anderson buys green bananas at Talin Market’s grand opening.

The store is located in the Luna complex at 505 Cerrillos Rd., next to the new location of Ohori’s Coffee. At 5,000 square feet, it’s about one-sixth the size of the Talin Market in Albuquerque, which has been open since 1978.

By the afternoon, the store was filled with Santa Feans perusing exotic items such as cherimoya and Japanese daikon. Limray also boasted that “we probably have one of the best seafood selections in the whole state.”

“Today is a very auspicious day for us to open. Even though we’re not at 100 percent, it was very important for us to open today,” Limray said.

To celebrate the new year, the market brought in the Van Hanh Lion Dance Team, which performed a dance to pounding drumbeats while workers handed out traditional red envelopes to customers.

Happy customers included Yesha Malla, a Nepalese-born student at St. John’s College. Malla said she’s been “jumping up and down” since finding out Talin Market was setting up shop in Santa Fe.

Malla said the store offers food that reminds her of home. On Saturday, her cart was nearly brimming with items such as bamboo shoots and spices.

“I’ve been waiting since last week, since I found out. I’m pretty excited. I think a lot of people are,” she said.

Talin Market is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Shoppers stroll through Talin Market World Food on its opening day, Feb. 9, which was also Chinese New Year.