Enson Market, previously known as Fresh International Market, now aims to soft open its Pittsburgh location on June 6.

After a couple of years of delays and false starts, Enson Market will soft open in Point Breeze's Rockwell Park on June 6. Previously going by its parent company name Fresh International Market, Enson Market and Ineffable Cà Phê "will bring fresh groceries, prepared foods, and Asian-inspired dishes to the heart of Point Breeze North," according to the latest press release.

Located inside the historic Apollo building at 7511 Thomas Blvd, the 40,000 square foot space has been fully restored and reimagined as a modern grocery and café destination. It’s a big moment for the neighborhood—and for anyone looking for quality ingredients, ready-to-eat meals, and something a little different for dinner.

. . .

Enson Market will offer a wide selection of fresh produce, meats, and seafood, along with everyday grocery items and unique international finds. You’ll find snacks, sauces, and prepared foods that introduce new flavors, while still being able to shop for your regular weekly staples—all in one place.

With a fresh bakery, hot food counter, and grab-and-go meals like sushi and spring rolls, the store is set up for convenience, discovery, and everyday use.‍

Just beyond the grocery aisles, Ineffable Cà Phê adds another layer to the experience. Known for its original Lawrenceville location, the café will serve Vietnamese coffee, bánh mì, phở, rice bowls, and weekend brunch. It’s a place to grab breakfast, meet a friend, or wind down with a beer or glass of wine.

The release did not give an explanation for the new name, which had been used in recent weeks on job advertisements for the store. The Pittsburgh branch of this US-based chain of Asian grocery stores was first announced for Pittsburgh in March 2023 with a Summer 2024 target, and will be among the largest Asian groceries in the region. It had previously announced openings for February, April, and May 2025. It will be located at 7511 Thomas Blvd. (map).

Pittsburgh Bonsai Society's 44th annual Bonsai Show, June 7 and 8.

The Pittsburgh Bonsai Society will hold its 44th annual Bonsai Show on June 7 and 8. Guests may:

• View a beautiful gallery of unique varieties and different styles of bonsai 
• Start your own collection and purchase trees, starter material, tools and supplies 
• Watch tree styling demos throughout the day 
• Bring in your own tree and get help from the experts. 

The event is free at the Millvale Community Center (map), 10 to 5 on Saturday and 10 to 4 on Sunday.

Additional date for concert film Ado SPECIAL LIVE "Shinzou" in Cinemas, in Pittsburgh, May 28 and May 31.

The Ado concert film SPECIAL LIVE "Shinzou" in Cinemas will play in Pittsburgh on May 28 and May 31, the latter a newly-added date.

In 2020, on the eve of her 18th birthday, Ado sent shockwaves through the music industry with the release of her debut song "Usseewa," a record-breaking hit that cemented her reputation as a revolutionary artist. She continued her rise with chart-topping tracks such as "Gira Gira" and "Odo." In 2022, she was chosen to perform a total of seven songs including the theme song for the renowned anime film "ONE PIECE FILM RED," further solidifying her status as a top-tier artist. Beyond anime, she has contributed theme songs to various films and TV dramas and in 2023, her song "Show" marked a two-year consecutive collaboration with Universal Studios Japan, proving her unwavering popularity. Ado has also actively pursued live performances, achieving a national arena tour in just two years with shows such as "Kigeki," "Campanella," "Shinkirou," "Mars," "Shinzou," and "Profile of Mona Lisa." Her success has extended beyond Japan, captivating audiences worldwide with her first-ever global tour, "Wish." Now, in celebration of her second world tour "Hibana," which marks the largest-scale global tour by a Japanese artist, the legendary solo live concert "Ado SPECIAL LIVE 2024 'Shinzou,'" which drew 140,000 attendees over two days and left audiences in awe, is set to hit select theaters as a theatrical release: "Ado SPECIAL LIVE 'Shinzou' in Cinema"! For the first time, a recording of Ado's solo live performance will be screened in theaters. The audio has been remastered for cinematic release, bringing a newly enhanced "Shinzou" to the big screen!

This concert film will not only be released in Japan but will also have a global theatrical release, bringing "Shinzou" to fans around the world who have been eagerly awaiting the "Hibana" tour! The concert's immersive atmosphere will be recreated through a large-scale cinematic experience with 5.1ch surround sound, while the Dolby Atmos® edition will provide an unparalleled, deeply immersive audio experience. Experience this 140-minute spectacle of world-class performances in the ultimate audiovisual environment.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

j-hope Tour ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ in JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING in Pittsburgh, May 31 and June 1.

The concert film j-hope Tour ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ in JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING will play in Pittsburgh on May 31 and June 1.

Following its February kickoff in Seoul and spanning across North America and Asia, j-hope’s first solo world tour has captivated audiences with 31 concerts in 15 regions. Now, the grand finale of ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ will be broadcast live in cinemas worldwide! Witness the powerful moment of j-hope sharing his hopes, wishes, and dreams with audiences through his debut solo tour. Don’t miss this long-awaited opportunity to see ‘j-hope on stage’! Experience his electrifying performances, including title tracks from his solo albums - MORE,’ ‘Arson,’ and ‘NEURON (with Gaeko, yoonmirae)’ - as well as recent releases unveiled during the tour like ‘Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)’ and ‘MONA LISA’! Broadcast live exclusively in cinemas worldwide - experience j-hope’s inspiring solo performances on the big screen.

It plays locally at the Cinemark theater in Robinson and tickets are available online.

New Vietnamese film Detective Kien: The Headless Horror (Thám Tử Kiên: Kỳ Án Không Đầu) in Pittsburgh, from May 29.

The 2025 Vietnamese film Detective Kien: The Headless Horror (Thám Tử Kiên: Kỳ Án Không Đầu) will play in the Pittsburgh area from May 29. From the distrubtor:

Detective Kien investigates a headless body found in a rural Vietnamese village during the Nguyen Dynasty. As supernatural elements emerge, he faces chilling twists in this 19th-century mystery.

It plays locally at the AMC CLASSIC South Hills Village and tickets are available online.

Korean boy band POW in Pittsburgh area, August 20.

The Korean boy band POW (파우) is scheduled to perform in the Pittsburgh area on August 20. Tickets for the show at The Oaks Theater in Oakmont will go on sale May 30.

Pittsburgh! K-pop boy group POW are coming on their debut tour 2025 POW TOUR: POWERFUL YOUTH IN NORTH AMERICA! See them live this summer at The Oaks Theater! 

POW (파우) is a 5 member boy group consisting of Jungbin, Yorch, Hyunbin, Dongyeon, and Hong.

Tickets for 2025 POW TOUR: POWERFUL YOUTH IN NORTH AMERICA will go on sale Friday May 30 at 10:00AM CST.

General Admission: $50 - This is a first come first serve ticket to see POW on their debut tour.



Documentary Nurse Unseen at Pitt, May 30.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh will present a screening of the 2023 documentary Nurse Unseen on May 30. From the documentary's website:

NURSE UNSEEN explores the little-known history and humanity of the unsung Filipino nurses who risked their lives on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic while facing a resurgence of anti-Asian hate in the streets.

The movie starts at 6:30 pm in 121 Lawrence Hall (map), will be accompanied by snacks from FAAP, and will be followed by a discussion.

2001 Hayao Miyazaki film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) at Rangos Giant Cinema, May 30.

The 2001 film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) will play at the Rangos Giant Cinema on May 30, the final installment of the theater's Ani May series.

In Hayao Miyazaki’s unforgettable film, “Spirited Away,” audiences are transported along with Chihiro to an otherworldly bath house occupied by strange spirits. Join her on her journey to reunite with her parents and return to her own world on Fri., May 30 at 7 p.m.

The cost is $10 for museum members and $12 for non-members. The movie starts at 7:00 pm, and the theater is inside The Carnegie Science Center, which is located at 1 Allegheny Ave. on the North Shore (map).

Fresh International Market and Ineffable Cà Phê aiming for May 30 soft opening in Point Breeze.

Photo via Ineffable Cà Phê. 

Fresh International Market and Ineffable Cà Phê are aiming for a May 30 soft opening, if all goes according to the latest plan. Fresh International Market, a US-based chain of Asian grocery stores, was first announced for Pittsburgh in March 2023 with a Summer 2024 target, and the 23,000 square foot store would be among the largest Asian groceries in the region. The Vietnamese coffee shop Ineffable Cà Phê, which currently has a spot in Lawrenceville, was later linked to the site, as Fresh International Market locations often have a bakery---such as Paris Baguette, in other spots---inside. From a February 2025 Pittsburgh Magazine article ahead of its latest potential opening date earlier this year:

Known for its unique selection of international ingredients and authentic Asian cuisine, Fresh International Market imports products from more than 28 countries. This will be the 10th location, with stores located in Illinois, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Indiana, North Carolina and Florida. The first store was founded in Lansing, Michigan in 2011 by Bowen Kou; the company is now headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Also opening at Rockwell is the second location of Ineffable CaPhe, a Lawrenceville coffee shop offering a variety of Asian items such as bubble tea, banh mi sandwiches and rice bowls, Al Lardo, Rockwell Park’s principal, said in an interview. It will operate out of the grocery store rather than being a separate tenant at Rockwell.

He noted his family’s roots are in Wilkinsburg, where his wife’s family had a business for 80 years and his father owned rental properties. He told the Business Times that he looks forward to the new opportunity that the store will bring to residents in Wilkinsburg as well as Homewood to be able to buy healthy and fresh foods that are affordably priced.

“The location [of the Fresh International Market] is especially good because of the busway,” Lardo said in an interview. which is just a half-mile walk from Rockwell Park. “There’s a lot of people who don’t have cars in Wilkinsburg.”

The store will open at 7511 Thomas Blvd. (map), located roughly a block from the East End Food Co-op and Construction Junction. While this will be the region's first Fresh International Market, though the chain was loosely linked to Pittsburgh in 2021 as a finalist for the former Hill District Shop n' Save location that was later occupied, and vacated, by Salem's Market.

Both Fresh International Market (see here) and Ineffable Cà Phê (see here) are hiring.

"We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from June 14.

Photo via the Korea Tourism Organization.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Oakland will resume its free "We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes Saturdays from June 14 through August 16, after finishing its most recent session on May 17.