Business of the Week: Suisun Seafood Center

has been a part of Suisun City for four years now just off Lawler Center Drive, south of Highway 12 near Grizzly Island Road. It is comparable to the Asian food markets Island Pacific Market and Seafood City in Vallejo. In fact, owner Rene Canlas researched both stores before he opened up his own.

“I spent days in the parking lot waiting to see who their suppliers were,” said Canlas. “Trucks would come in and I would write down the name and phone numbers.”

A Suisun City resident, Canlas had been working as a nurse in Fairfield at the Solano County Jail but decided he would take a new direction after management of the medical care at the jail changed. Canlas had also been a part time real estate agent and was “flipping houses.” He decided he would try going into the area of commercial real estate, so he purchased some land.

“I sold seven houses to get this building,” Canlas said.

Canlas began building on the land with the hopes of using the building to rent out the space. It was his wife that convinced him that they should start their own grocery store and Filipino food restaurant. From there he spent a year researching other Asian food markets with a business consultant. Two years after leaving his nursing job, he opened his grocery store.

The store is not the only Asian food store in the area. Just off Highway 12 at Marina Center is the store Asian Market, which specializes in Thai food. Canlas said he has a good relationship with the owner of Asian Market and they have never seen each other as rivals or competition.

“We’re actually good friends,” said Canlas.

Though Canlas’s market specializes in Filipino foods, he strives to make his store a market that anyone of the community can shop at. He has isles that feature Hispanic foods and American foods, as well. He recognizes the importance of serving the community of Suisun City as a whole. He even works to bring in requested items into the store. 

“When customer’s come in and ask ‘How come you don’t have this?’ I’ll make a note of it,” he said.

Canlas currently has 11 employees, including his wife, that work in either his store, his bakery or in the restaurant. He tries to cross train his workers so that they will be able to work in any department, though two of the workers in the restaurant are his cooks and work solely to prepare the food there. Canlas himself may be found just about anywhere in the store, especially on the floors greeting his customers. He knows the importance of maintaining good relationships with his patrons.

“I’m like the public relations officer,” said Canlas.