[M_Six]

An H Mart opened a few weeks ago in Urbana. From the pics we've seen, it's an amazingly well stocked store. We've only seen pics because for weeks it's been nearly impossible to get into the parking lot, let alone the store. The first day it was open it was bitter cold out, yet folks stood outside for hours waiting to get in. Yesterday we went by there to see how bad it was and there was a parade of cars circling the very large parking lot waiting for any space to open. We just kept on going. I wasn't about to get into that mess. The level of excitement about this place is similar to when the Chick-Fil-A opened in the next town over. There are other Asian food markets in the Champaign area, but I have to think they must be worried about losing a ton of business to the new H Mart if its current patronage continues.

Has anyone here been into an H Mart?

[MaxVO2]

Originally Posted by M_Six

An H Mart opened a few weeks ago in Champaign. From the pics we've seen, it's an amazingly well stocked store. We've only seen pics because for weeks it's been nearly impossible to get into the parking lot, let alone the store. The first day it was open it was bitter cold out, yet folks stood outside for hours waiting to get in. Yesterday we went by there to see how bad it was and there was a parade of cars circling the very large parking lot waiting for any space to open. We just kept on going. I wasn't about to get into that mess. The level of excitement about this place is similar to when the Chick-Fil-A opened in the next town over. There are other Asian food markets in the Champaign area, but I have to think they must be worried about losing a ton of business to the new H Mart if its current patronage continues.

Has anyone here been into an H Mart?

****H-Mart is big in my area. They are popular, but no where near as popular as Aldi's or Wegman's. It isn't even remotely close in terms of sales and traffic through the stores.

H-Mart is nice, but in a larger metro area there are a LOT of other choices for value oriented shoppers.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by MaxVO2

****H-Mart is big in my area. They are popular, but no where near as popular as Aldi's or Wegman's. It isn't even remotely close in terms of sales and traffic through the stores.

H-Mart is nice, but in a larger metro area there are a LOT of other choices for value oriented shoppers.

I'm hoping the excitement wears off soon so I can go have a look. The other big Asian store in the Champaign area has really good prices on produce. H Mart seems to have a large assortment of fish, but I'm picky when it comes to that. We have an Aldi in our town, but it's been mobbed lately, probably because of the high food prices elsewhere. There's another one in the next town over that has a bunch of self checkout counters, so I usually opt for that one because it's easier to get out of there once I grab my stuff.

[ezaircon4jc]

What are they? The predecessor to K-Mart?

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

What are they? The predecessor to K-Mart?

I never heard of it either. Had to look it up:

H Mart (Korean: H 마트 or 한아름 마트) is an American chain of Asian supermarkets operated by the Hanahreum Group, headquartered in Lyndhurst, Bergen County, New Jersey. The chain has 84 stores throughout the United States, operated variously as H Mart, H Mart Northwest, and H Mart Colorado. There are two stores in the Pacific Northwest that operate as "G Mart" that are associated with H Mart. H Mart also has stores in Canada and two in the United Kingdom. H Mart is the largest U.S.-based grocery store chain that specializes in Asian-style products and caters to Asian-American shoppers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H_Mart

[2000cs]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

What are they? The predecessor to K-Mart?

That was Kresge. Interestingly, K-Mart and Walmart were started in the same year but with different strategies. Clearly one was better but it took decades to play out.

[zx10guy]

There are some H Marts in my area. When one opened up near me, it was fantastic as the only Asian market was a very small store that was limited in options/inventory. The one near me has a ton of different items typical of Asian cuisine. It also has what seems that all H Marts have is a food court. But those seem to vary based on location. Of the two I've been in, the one near me is much better than the other one I've visited about 30 to 40 miles away. The farther one only has I think two food vendors in their very small food court. The one near me has about 8 to 10 vendors from what I remember. The food court is also much larger. The one near me also has small specialty stores where they sell things other than grocery items such as cosmetics and stuff you would find in gift shop oriented stores. Also, the one near me has a very good bakery.

Obviously they're a chain place but it provides a good "ethnic" alternative to larger grocery chains. Their hours are also much better where I can't think of a day of the year they're closed.

[DrVenture]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I'm hoping the excitement wears off soon so I can go have a look. The other big Asian store in the Champaign area has really good prices on produce. H Mart seems to have a large assortment of fish, but I'm picky when it comes to that. We have an Aldi in our town, but it's been mobbed lately, probably because of the high food prices elsewhere. There's another one in the next town over that has a bunch of self checkout counters, so I usually opt for that one because it's easier to get out of there once I grab my stuff.

My son got both his undergrad and grad degrees from UofI. He loved it there. Was the managing editor of the Daily Illini for 2-3 years. They offered him Editor-In-Chief, but he had done that in High School and turned it down, recommending a friend for the position.

[e4603]

There’s a H Mart 5 minutes from my home that opens till 10pm. Great for getting sashimi late in the evening.