Ayame Japanese Market — Local services in Lexington

This shop is indeed quite small, but they seem to magically always have what you are looking for. Snacks, drinks, candy, ramen galore~, beauty supplies, DVDs, light housewares, etc. About 1/3 of the store is refrigerated or frozen foods; some pre-packaged meals, some fresh items like seafood. For their fish, the prices are usually better than what you would pay for at other local fish markets, but that also fluctuates AND you won't find the quantity you would find elsewhere. The store definitely carries a nice selection of various items. What I've always enjoyed about this location is the staff; they have been super friendly and down to earth. They will often be in the back working on packaging their seafood or preparing bentos or taking stock. Some people take offense to this for some reason, but they are just keeping busy and trust their customer base to not steal from them. Also, they will often step out and ask if they can help you find anything. Usually they just let you shop or browse in peace. Finally, I love how connected they stay with the local Japanese communities. If you are looking for Japanese tutors or to score authentic Japanese goods via yard sales or classifieds, this is a great store to stop by and check their...

It's difficult to describe the space that Ayame Market inhabits as anything but small, but the utilization of the space they have is fantastic. Not only do they have a wide array of snacks and candy, something a lot of American shoppers look for, but also a lot of food staples such as rice, sauces, natto, and a fine selection of fresh produce that's difficult to find in standard American grocery stores. They also have fantastic gyoza and mochi, and if you catch them in the early afternoon they have delicious bentos that are freshly made, and there's always something for any palette. They also have beauty products, a small dish selection, books, DVDs, and a little manga, all in original Japanese of course. The customer service is second to none with a courteous and friendly staff, and they were more than happy to help me discover tamago bouro along with other infant appropriate snacks and sweets (I have a nine-month-old who I'm trying to ensure doesn't become a picky eater). So take the time out of your day to give them a visit, it's...

The lady was so friendly and nice! Me and my boyfriend have been there together twice now, once last year on my birthday and now an his. All of the food is nice and we'll stocked. And from what we bought, everything tastes good too. None of it is stale or anything. We bought a tea set and the one we grabbed had no handle and she happily went to the back and grabbed us an unopened set. She even went to the back to see if she had any more of a certain produck. Overall 100% friendliness and cleanliness. We...