The recent closure of a Key Food in Flushing was the last straw for many longtime residents, who say they feel ignored and isolated. Now, they are asking the new Asian market in the area to cater to them, too.

In a sign of the intensity of these residents' lobby, elected officials are brokering negotiations with the manager of the Asian store, New York Mart, about what it will stock. Among demands: Boar's Head bologna, bagels and pet food, for a start.

"Most of the supermarkets in the area are Asian markets and all they have is just one single aisle of food for us," said Rosa Febles, 50 years old, who has lived in Flushing for four decades. "We feel a little left out."

Flushing has rapidly transformed into New York City's largest hub of East Asian commerce, dwarfing even downtown Manhattan's Chinatown in the number of Asian residents and businesses. Ten years ago, the dozen or so neighborhoods that make up northern Queens, including Flushing, were 36% Asian and 41% white, according to Census figures. Today, their percentages are nearly even, according to American Community Survey estimates of 2006 to 2008.

In Flushing, A Food Fight

Some non-Asian residents mourn the neighborhood's transformation, saying it feels like a foreign country. They say the Key Food, which closed in late May, was among the last grocery stores where they could buy Lean Cuisine and deli meats.

New York Mart, part of a chain that has four other Asian groceries in the city, is considering the residents' requests, said General Manager William Chen, who said he intends to spend $4 million to renovate the space. "They were asking for a deli; we actually don't have much experience with delis," said Mr. Chen. "It's a good idea but I have to consult with people who have experience with that."

There are nearly a dozen Asian grocery stories in and around downtown Flushing, according to residents and officials. A Met Food on Bowne Street remains, but residents say it's small and caters more to a nearby Latino population.

Several years ago, another Key Food in the Queensboro Hill section of Flushing closed and was replaced by an Asian store. Residents in the southern area of Flushing recently contacted their community board to request a meeting with store management about diversifying offerings.

"The problem is that the older folks in the neighborhood, they haven't got a place to go buy their Entenmann's," said Don Capalbi, president of the Queensboro Hill Neighborhood Association. The elderly also often aren't mobile and tech-savvy enough to order products online, other community leaders say.

Grocery-store operators say the shifting demographics have made staying in business impossible. "We were not able to sustain a basic existence there in this continually changing environment," said Ira Gross, vice president of Dan's Supreme Supermarkets, which operated the downtown Flushing Key Food store. "It appeared destined to be an ethnic operator."

Groceries aren't the only source of tension. Residents also complain about Chinese and Korean signs on businesses such as pharmacies and private transport services. The signs aren't translated into English, so residents don't know if something's on sale or if a van might be going their way.

"I feel like a stranger in my own neighborhood," said Mary Ann Boroz, 61, who has lived in Flushing for 34 years.

Last year Mr. Capalbi asked the new Asian grocery store in Queensboro Hill to put up signs identifying the foods in English, which it did. "A lot of the foods are strange to the non-Asian community and they really need a sign," he said. "The people who take over these stores, it's not that they're trying to exclude people, but they know what's familiar to them."

Asian-American leaders are working to bridge the gap between the two populations. Assemblywoman Grace Meng, who was among those at last week's meeting with New York Mart, said she understands the concerns. "I'm also an Asian-American and I buy American products for my children," she said. "I do admit that there are times that I can't find what I need in downtown Flushing."

Ms. Meng is also working on an initiative to encourage businesses to translate their signs into English. Students at P.S. 20 in Flushing have been offering translation services to some businesses, but the reception has been lukewarm. Out of more than 100 approached, only about 20 agreed to put up the signs.

"They said the workers are unable to speak English and they will not be able to help them," said Lois Lee, director of the Chinese-American Planning Council's Out-of-School Time program at P.S. 20.

In the early 1960s, when Ms. Lee's family moved from Chinatown to Flushing, they were among the first Asians in the area. "I've seen Flushing change and there is some animosity towards the ethnic groups," said Ms. Lee, 61. "But with the ethnic groups they're saying, 'We have limited language skills.' There's a new wave of immigrants and you have to give them time. You don't learn English overnight."

Write to Sumathi Reddy at sumathi.reddy@wsj.com