Alexandru Gheorghiu
Google
They shouldn't have closed down so soon, this was the best Thai market in L.A. I first visited Bangkok Market in the mid 1980s. Nice feel to the place, bright, friendly and welcoming, and many interesting items in the store. Back in the 1980s (and the 1990s) they had live crabs, I remember those, and in the mid/late 1980s they gave away free calendars. For so many of us in this neighborhood, this was a very near-by place to buy fish, shellfish and meat, and some produce, and noodle soup packets, and some other things. In later years this was my place to find rare juices, like Calamansi juice, Basil Seed juice, and Mangosteen juice, and Kirin beer and some other beers. And for me/us it remained a place to buy seafood especially (fish and shellfish) and sometimes meat. You could buy fish that they would fry for you, though whatever fish we bought we usually cooked them at home instead of having them fried at Bangkok. Always very friendly people who worked here. Bangkok Market first opened in 1971 or 1972, back then they were located on the south side of Melrose. Early in the 1980s or so, they moved to the north side of Melrose where they remained. This store was a quite significant part of my childhood, my parents shopped here often and often they'd take me and my brother along: they would find some good fish and meat and produce and some other things and it was just down the block, the closest market back then. On the last day they were open, November 17th 2019, a Sunday (though I didn't know that was their last day open to the public, though I knew they were going to close, maybe in a few months) I bought a 6 pack of Kirin beer and walked home with it. The next day Monday they were closed, though some restaurants and cooks were able to buy a lot of the remaining goods for another week or so. I miss this market; the other Thai markets on Hollywood Blvd don't have the welcoming atmosphere or charm that Bangkok Market had.