Li Ming's Global Mart — Attraction in Durham

people say this place is bad because of the smell, or the dismissive employees, i personally never had any experience that was negative with the employees. I've been here quite a few times. i can tell the employees are definitely more keen to Chinese customers since that is where the majority of them are from. i will say if any of them are actually racist im not supporting pr excusing that. im more saying that a lot if the time is just the way most ethnic groups are especially none white ones. in terms of their products, this store is really great if you know what you are looking for. they have a ton of Chinese ingredients and i know a lot of them look terrifying to western eyes and noses but u can use them to make great Chinese dishes. some of which u have probably had before. they aren't just there for you to gag at and freak you out (i promise). this isn't the place you go to get those cute little asian snacks white people die over. you have to take it into a different perspective, that its a Chinese market, ran by Chinese people, for Chinese people. and you don't have to be Chinese to shop there, you just have to understand that thats how this place came to be. i promise you those two cashiers speaking Chinese to each other aren't talking about you, and if they are, maybe they just like your glasses, or your haircut. or they could be talking about how badly you need a pedicure. but really, who gives a f*, if u don't speak chinese you'll never know the truth. if you go in here with that paranoid American mindset your gonna come out even more afraid. also they have an epic dumpling selection (pork and cilantro filling is the...

As others mentioned limited english spoken at the register and it certainly appears they treat people of color with less respect. Initially I gave them the benefit of the doubt but the last time it was a bit obvious.

I watch my cashier's interactions with the customer before me and after me. Definitely there was a difference in attitude. She checked my box extensively as if I was trying to steal something. It was simply a pot inside a box. Nothing else could fit it in. She said nothing to me as she continued checking out the box.

Then she called the cashier next to us, who checked it. Security at the airport was less intrusive. So I asked the other cashier "was the price not on it or something?" Her response was unintelligible. I've watched other customers breeze through the same process without that degree of searching.

Next I asked if I could use mobile pay, and pointed at the machine next to the register that clearly displayed the mobile pay logo, she acted as if I was trying to steal something and loudly yelled "No...No... No..! It was very embarrassing.

The cashier in the next lane looked around and politely said our manager doesn't allow us to take mobile payments. Ok, that's their prerogative. But don't act like a crime is being committed when someone asks.

All of this may be chalked up to lack of english or a new trainee but someone needs to teach them common courtesy and at least a modicum of racial sensitivity before they let them work as a cashier. Definitely a 1...

Good selection of mostly (but certainly not exclusively) East Asian goods. Good variety of otherwise hard to find produce. Every time you go you will find something there that you have never seen before. If you are interested in vegetarian foods there is a lot of frozen stuff that caters to that, it is not separated and to find it just read the ingredients (sometimes even if it claims to be meat flavored it doesn't actually contain meat, just check). A favorite besides the East Asian stuff is a half eisle with a good amount of Turkish made goods. Lots of tasty pickled vegetables to be had there. There's also a bakery but there are no ingredients listed for the items they make so if you are sensitive to anything I would be sure to ask about it and do not assume. A small number of fresh made Chinese dishes are available next to the bakery and there is an area to sit down and eat if you would like. I do not believe many of these are vegetarian friendly, if any, if that is of concern to you. A couple miscellaneous notes, occasionally they have large quantities of persian cucumbers for a good price that are fantastic for pickling, but they tend to leave them out too long so check over them well to make sure they are fresh. In general the produce quality is pretty good, except for bell peppers for some reason. The bell peppers are usually a bit soft and the skin a bit...