San Francisco Chinese Herb Shop Opens Ingleside Location

A San Francisco Chinese herb shop opened a second location in Ingleside earlier this February.

Dennis Huang brought a branch of his I & J Market to Ingleside's stretch of Ocean Avenue to bring quality herbs and soup ingredients to the Chinese American community.

“The Chinese culture, we’re always drinking soup at night,” Huang said. “People who are taking care of their bodies like more nutrition, the herbs are the most important.”

Customers browse the shop's many items. | Anne Marie Kristoff/Ingleside Light

He discovered the space formerly home to Beauty Box SF, with a nudge from Tiffany Zhang, treasurer of the Ocean Avenue Association and owner of Little Panda Preschool.

Huang opened the first location of his market in the Outer Sunset in 2022. Its name derives from the initials of Huang’s sons, Isaiah and Joshua.

Patrons can find a variety of dried ingredients throughout the packed store. Shelves are lined with an array of dried items like scallops, chrysanthemums, mushrooms, pears, and other medicinal herbs, along with soup essentials like broth packets. Pre-packaged loose-leaf tea can also be found, like roselle and cleansing mixes.

Other dried seafood, like sea cucumbers, can be found in open tubs on tables in the center of the store alongside pre-packaged cookies, pre-made porridge and boxes of tea bags.

The market offers a small variety of frozen goods such as fish cakes and seasoned chicken paws. Tucked along the back wall towards the rear of the shop are kitchen appliances such as rice cookers, kettles, and steamers, and packages of instant and dried noodles such as spicy ramen, vermicelli and varieties of snacks like soda crackers.

In addition to pantry staples, the market sells pharmaceutical items like cough syrup and congestion medications, which are located behind the counter.

OMI Family Center employee Gwen Mui has already shopped at I & J Market multiple times since it opened. She said the shop meets the needs and ethos of the community, noting that it’s all about love, traditions, healing and taking care of yourself and your family.

“He’s got a niche here,” Mui said. “He wants to serve the neighborhood. It’s all the items you don’t find at big box stores.”

Aside from selling traditional herbs, Huang puts customer care first, taking the time to get to know his patrons and often speaking to them long after they’ve purchased.

“We’re just taking care of the neighborhood,” Huang said.