H Mart Opens Largest US Store in Fremont
South Korean grocery chain H Mart is opening its largest U.S. location in Fremont, California. The new megastore highlights the growing demand for Asian foods and products in the American retail market. The location is expected to be a major shopping destination for the entire Bay Area.
The new 100,000-square-foot H Mart will be a two-story structure, a new "multi-level prototype" for the national Korean grocery chain. This Fremont location represents the largest investment in the company's history and will serve as a flagship store. The first floor will house the full grocery store, while the second level will feature a food hall, dine-in restaurants, a bar, and communal spaces. The megastore is taking over a formerly vacant Kohl's department store at 43782 Christy Street in the Pacific Commons Shopping Center. An entity connected to H Mart's CEO, Il Yeon Kwon, purchased the 98,000-square-foot property for $18.3 million in an all-cash deal in late 2025. Construction is slated to begin in late 2026 with a projected opening in late 2027. Fremont's demographics align with the demand for such a store, as nearly two-thirds of the city's population is of Asian descent. This opening is part of a larger trend of Asian supermarket expansion in the Bay Area, with chains like T&T Supermarket and Tokyo Central also growing their presence. Upon completion, the Fremont H Mart will be one of the largest Asian supermarkets in the country. For comparison, the largest Mitsuwa Marketplace, a Japanese supermarket chain, is a 92,750-square-foot store in Edgewater, New Jersey. Large format stores for competitor 99 Ranch Market, such as its "Cravings" prototype, are around 56,000 square feet.
