ORLANDO, Fla. – Hundreds lined up in Orlando on Thursday for the grand opening of Florida’s first H Mart.
The Asian supermarket has a significant “cult following,” and the location at 7501 W. Colonial Drive is one of H Mart’s largest.
Suzi Kroll drove from Deltona before sunrise to be among the first in the store when the doors officially opened.
[PHOTO GALLERY: Look inside the new H Mart Asian Supermarket in Orlando]
“We like the food and all the experiences, so just coming to what I would say is the IKEA of grocery stores is pretty exciting,” Kroll said.
H Mart describes itself as America’s premier Asian food destination that provides groceries and everyday essential needs, as well as upscale products.
“Extensive produce, extensive seafood selections, but then also a whole food court like a shopping mall,” Kroll said. “It’s really exciting to have Orlando get their biggest location.”
H Mart has been working for years to establish a location in Central Florida and opened at the site of a former Super Target that closed its doors in 2012.
“It means jobs, it means food, and it means opportunity,” Orange County District 6 Commissioner Michael Scott said. “What H Mart is looking to do is not only just provide a grocery store, provide spaces for small businesses you see around, but also be a part of the community and invest in it.”
For more than 30 years, H Mart has provided eateries in its stores and has become known for its food halls as well.
“What they provide, you have a lot of different sections inside of there that you can check out. It’s not just a grocery store,” Orlando resident Isabel Cho said.
H Mart is open 365 days a year. Current hours are from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
For more details on the supermarket’s offerings and Orlando location, visit H Mart’s website.
H Mart is just the latest Asian grocery store to enter the Central Florida market.
Other grocery stores include Mei’s Supermarket in Union Park, iFresh Supermarket at East Colonial Drive and Bumby Avenue, Lotte Market on West Colonial Drive and John Young Parkway, and Enson Market and New Golden Sparkling Market, both on West Colonial near Kirkman Road.