More than a store

The couple, who doesn't speak much English, arranged the shelves in ways familiar to foreigners and began monitoring their preferences.

Lu Qi recalls the first store's products didn't have price tags. His mom memorized each item's price.

"We didn't know any suppliers then," he says.

"So, my father would call the phone number on the back of each good's packaging and ask to import it."

Growing up in the store made Lu Qi feel a special connection to the foods. The family's meals were usually made with leftover foodstuffs from the shop.

"My meals were quite international as a kid, from pasta to cheese," he says.

He believes the dairy he consumed as a child is the reason he's substantially taller than his parents.