Curated Japanese & Asian groceries and more
Mixed Pantry
A corner store that explains itself
- Since
- Pop-up 2023, store since
- In Seattle
- Belltown
- From
- Across Asia and AAPI America
At the market
Saturday, September 19, 2026 · 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · The main venue — the market runs from here
Origins
- Sauces, snacks, teas and tools from Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore
- The maker behind each product, and the reason it exists
- A founder's background in food science and brewing
New opportunities
- Curation over quantity — nothing reaches the shelf the team has not tasted
- Imported goods shelved beside AAPI-founded brands from across the U.S.
- A Seattle Restored pop-up used to prove demand before signing a long-term lease
At a glance
From pop-up to permanent storefront, Mixed Pantry is a curated specialty food store in Seattle's Belltown that introduces customers to foods from across Asia and brands created by Asian American entrepreneurs throughout the United States. Tastings and pop-up events carry the stories behind the products, the people who make them, and how to use them at home.
In full
@mixed_pantryLocated in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood, Mixed Pantry is a specialty retailer focused on the food cultures of Asia and Asian America. Rather than overwhelming customers with hundreds of similar products, as large Asian supermarkets often do, the store follows a “curation over quantity” approach. Every item is selected only after the team has tasted it and considered its quality, background, and relevance to customers.
The shelves feature sauces, condiments, snacks, sweets, teas, beverages, and kitchen tools from countries and regions including Japan, China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Alongside imported products, Mixed Pantry actively supports small brands founded by members of AAPI communities across the United States. Products are presented not only for their taste or functionality, but also for the cultural background of their creators and the reasons they were developed.
Founder Takeshi “Tak” Kunimune studied food science and beer brewing before building a career that included experience at a brewing company, business studies, and nearly a decade in the technology industry. His eventual return to the food sector led to the creation of Hyphen Asian Food + Culture, a temporary retail concept launched in 2023 through Seattle Restored, a city program that activates vacant commercial spaces. The pop-up allowed the founders to test market demand and demonstrate the viability of the business. Building on that success, Kunimune and co-owner Mary Kunimune secured a long-term lease and relaunched the concept as Mixed Pantry.
Another defining strength of the business is its emphasis on customer experience. Visitors can sample sauces, jams, and other products in-store, while staff explain differences in flavor and suggest ways to use them in everyday cooking. Mixed Pantry also regularly hosts product tastings, food-business pop-ups, artist markets, and DJ events. A selection of children's products and cookbooks makes the space accessible to families.
Mixed Pantry's purpose extends beyond selling Asian food products. By presenting quality, authenticity, and the stories of individual makers with care, the store challenges stereotypes that portray Asian foods as inexpensive, interchangeable, or lacking in distinction. Its combination of retail, storytelling, events, and community building represents a contemporary model for specialty retail.