H Mart opens first location in Orlando

Asian market H Mart has opened its first Florida location in Orlando, and it’s the biggest one yet. 

During its grand opening Thursday, Sept. 25, hundreds of people stood outside in line, some waiting hours to get in. 

A lion dance, a traditional Chinese dance to bring good luck and fortune, was performed outside the store with a lively and cheerful crowd. 

Stacey Kwon, president of H Mart, said because of its demographics, tourism and exposure, Orlando was the perfect location to open a new store. The area also brings a family connection. 

“My father is the founder and owner of H Mart,” Kwon said. “He actually honeymooned with my mom in Disney World, so Orlando has definitely been a big part of our family for a long time. I come here all the time with my kids now.”

The 100,074-square-foot property — previously a Super Target — was acquired in February 2021 and has been in the works since. The market offers more than groceries. It carries household items, garden supplies, lifestyle products and more. 

Shoppers also can enjoy services like a specialized hair and head spa, a photo studio and claw machines.

“I feel like when you come into the space, it’s not only a supermarket,” Kwon said. “It’s almost like the Disney World of Asia.”

Kwon said the process from designing to opening has been lengthy, but H Mart’s team has been patient. 

“We wanted to make sure we got it right,” she said. “Even when we were planning out the configuration of the store, we must have gone through over, it feels like, 100 edits on the layouts to get it just to be this and also in order to open while having areas under construction just so we can get it going.” 

The grocery store offers a variety of Asian and Western groceries, being an inclusive market with affordable pricing and fresh produce. 

“We import a lot of live fish, so half of the seafood section is alive,” Kwon said. “Our meat cuts are, I think, some of the best, if not the best, you’ll see in a grocery store setting. You want a barbecue? This is a place to check out, for sure.” 

Orlando’s Wendy Burk waited four-and-one-half years for H Mart to finally open. She praised the seafood section for its freshness and selection.

“I went on opening day and spent several hours there and a ton of money,” she said.

H Mart also offers a large food hall with 11 vendors, including U Chun, Paiks Noodle, Jaws Topokki and more, that previously were not available in Florida. 

As H Mart continues construction, Kwon said the food hall will expand. 

“Once we open the additional food halls, people are going to, whenever they think of something hot or something spicy, I think hopefully they’re going to think of us,” she said. 

H Mart started  in 1982 in Queens, New York, in a 500-square-foot space. 

Over the years, H mart has become the largest U.S.-based grocery story chain specializing in Asian-style products and focused on the Asian-American demographic.

“I’m really excited to see how Orlando responds to this mega H Mart,” Kwon said. “I hope everyone likes it.” 

Kwon said H Mart will host a variety of events and music as the expansion continues.

If the store’s size is intimidating, Kwon suggests visiting H Mart’s food court first. 

“See what you like,” she said. “You can either take your meal home and cook it or you can just enjoy what you got here.” 

Burk said she waited in line around 15 to 20 minutes for food vendors and was able to try a few of them. 

“(It) wasn’t bad considering the amount of people (there),” she said. 

She said the staff was great at managing the crowd, restocking shelves and facing the products for better customer experience. 

Dar Kailani visited the store for the first time Monday, Sept. 29. 

“While it may not rival Lotte for dedicated shoppers, it’s well worth a visit — just maybe not a two-hour wait,” she said. 

Kailani said while the store is spacious, the crowd makes it feel difficult to browse, especially shopping for refrigerated items. However, she said H Mart offers budget-friendly items with excellent quality.

“I was most excited about the dining options, but by the time I finished shopping, the food court was already packed,” Kailani said. 

Instead, she enjoyed a cheese and ham croissant, along with a coffee donut and a Korean iced coffee from Paris Baguette.

IF YOU GO: 

7501 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando 

HOURS: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Sundays 

WEBSITE: hmart.com