February 16th, 2024

Hi friends,

There’s nothing quite as nostalgic as your favorite childhood snack. Even as an adult I find comfort in slices of raw tofu, sesame sticks, and ginger candy. And if you too grew up in an ingredients household you’ll know the painful lengths I went to pilfer prized goldfish and gushers from friends at school. Ahh, youth.

The right snacks make an occasion. From M&Ms and unbuttered (don’t @ me) popcorn at the theater to pickle and hummus sandwiches (as in, pickles for bread) between meals, the right snack is hard to replace. And with the right people, those preferred small bites are an unbreakable bond. Nothing tastes as good as a shared slice of banana cake with your two best friends at the end of a long week. Snacks are social currency, snacks are a way of life.

This week, we’re lucky enough to dive into all things noshing culture this week with Joyce Chung of Goodies Snack Shop. She’ll inspire your own preferred tidbits and remind us why snacking cultivates community, in every bite.

I gotta know–what’s your favorite snack to share with friends??

Stay hungry,Hawnuh Lee | Founder, Closed Loop Cooking

Snack attacking // @hawnuhlee

The dish >>

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Embodying snack time with Joyce Chung of Goodie's Snack Shop

Interview by Hawnuh Lee.

I’m lucky enough to enjoy all the goodness that Goodie’s Snack Shop in downtown Portland, OR has to offer. An abundance of hand picked favorites that inspire taste and satisfy that snack tooth. Co-founder and  product aficionado, Joyce Chung, shared how the shop got started and what she looks for in a perfect bite. So excited to share her insight and if you’re in the neighborhood, make sure you stop in and stock up.

For those who may not know, can you introduce Goodies and your approach to snacking?

Goodies is a first generation Snack Shop & Market - a focused marketplace where snacking culture is represented through the lens of discovery, flavor and community.Our take on curated convenience brings together an intentional collection of fun beverages, snacks, Asian American pantry, and daily essentials.

How did you come to the idea for a local snack shop?

We moved to Portland in 2021 during the pandemic from Los Angeles - for my partner, it was coming back home; but for me it was starting a new life in a new place. I found myself in search of community, and for the comfort and accessibility to the foods/snacks I grew up with. My frustration of not finding what I was looking for compelled me to build the place I sought.

Pulling from my experience in the food & beverage space as a brand marketer, as well as our (my partner Terence) combined love for producing beautiful spaces & experiences - we began imagining what a neighborhood market that centered around snacking could look like.  We were inspired by dreamy Portland days where any day could turn into a little adventure - and what adventure is complete without a good sip & snack? Then, after looking for the right space, we happened upon a historic corner space that had spent over a decade vacant, in the heart of Portland's Chinatown. 

We created Goodies as a way to embody snack time & highlight some of the industry's best independent brands of today.

Your curation is inspirational, how do you select your particular products? 

Thanks! We take a lot of pride in the community of brands we highlight at Goodies. We hand select and vet every product that is put on our shelves, and look for products that represent flavor in a fun and exciting way -- which means we are always researching, testing and staying up to date on new products.

Look and feel, Flavor/Taste, Market fit/Need, & Representation 

• A big part of curation is building a recognizable aesthetic - and for us that means fun, bright and bold - brands that clearly communicate these attributes on and off shelf.

• We love flavors of our childhood being represented in tasty new ways! 

• We are always looking for brands that  are building and supporting the community in one way or another - 90% of the products we stock happen to be independent, Asian American founded, & or Woman led brands.

We created Goodies as a way to embody snack time & highlight some of the industry's best independent brands of today.

Can you speak more to upholding the Teikoku Co. legacy and / or your experience as an Asian American in the food + retail market?

Great article by Lauren Yoshiko!

It's interesting opening up shop in a building and neighborhood that holds so much immigrant history, particularly Japanese and Chinese history. Oldtown Chinatown was once known as nihonmachi, or Japantown and the same building we occupy now once was the home of Teikoku co Mercantile back in 1905 - a corner store that served the Japanese community as a community hub and grocery.

When opening Goodies, we knew we wanted to create a beautiful place for people to connect and to feel seen, especially coming out of the pandemic. It's important for us to add beauty and service to our neighborhood, daily. 

My role as a buyer is influenced by my experience growing up as a Korean American kid, as well as my experience working in food and beverage. Representation of flavor matters, and it's something we lean into. We sell snacks, bevvies, Asian American pantry, and beauty essentials.

How is Goodies cultivating community?

We've been getting to know & connect with our community by hosting events to bring people to experience the neighborhood and by collaborating with others in our community ranging from plant swaps, kimchi making, potlucks, game nights.

We knew we wanted to create a beautiful place for people to connect and to feel seen, especially coming out of the pandemic.

A favorite childhood snack?

Anything that tickles your inner child - for me it's often a Melona ice cream bar. It transports me back to the Korean markets I grew up going to in LA.

What makes for an iconic snack?

Something that doesn't go out of style. Memorable, unforgettable.

Your go-to / favorite selections at the moment?

Black Sesame popcorn from Tochi, Leisure's tropical mango, Omsom's saucy noodles...

How can we support you? (IRL + Virtually!)

We're a self funded woman led operation, support us how you can, we greatly appreciate it - Our community has been our strongest source of organic growth, word of mouth, book marking us on google. Tell your friends about us, come in for a visit, invite us to pop up at key events, follow us on social, and shop online.

Thank you Joyce! You're bringing so much joy and and community to downtown Portland, we'll be stopping in soon :) Make sure to follow Goodie's!

Take me to this dreamy backdrop and drinks.

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