On Jan. 16, H Mart opened its doors at 220 N. Broadway Ave. in Urbana, making it the largest Asian supermarket chain in downstate Illinois.
Ever since the project’s confirmation in April 2023, the Champaign-Urbana community has anticipated the opening of H Mart. Now, a 32,000-square-foot building is home to a large selection of Asian and Western goods, as well as a food court with a bakery and three Asian restaurants.
The long-awaited opening proved to be a success in the community, as a line formed outside of the store before it even opened.
“I was here on the day it opened, and it was so packed,” said Shanna Anderson, senior in LAS. “It was crazy because I couldn’t get through at all.”
The crowds did not disappear after opening day. Days later, the parking lot was still jam-packed, and the lines at checkout were overflowing into the aisles.
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“You see by the turnout and the last couple of days how excited everyone — especially the Asian community — is, just to be surrounded by the food and culture,” said Sam Oropesa, sophomore in Business.
Over 40% of the University’s student body is of Asian descent. This large portion of Urbana’s population has helped the store’s success, but it also has a wider audience.
“(H Mart) is definitely uniting students by giving them more exposure to Asian culture, especially for those who aren’t so familiar with those things,” Oropesa said.
A glimpse at the clientele shows that people of all cultures and backgrounds are looking forward to exploring everything H Mart has to offer.
“It provides a lot of different food varieties that I feel like Champaign and Urbana do not really have right now,” Anderson said. “Everyone loves it.”
Despite just opening, the shelves were completely stocked, full of food, household products and other goodies. Upon entering, customers are greeted with a large display of fresh produce at the entrance. The middle holds groceries, while the back holds large selections of raw-cut meats and a fish market.
“I really like their selection of meats,” Anderson said. “There’s nothing really like it anywhere else.”
With the recent closing of the University’s staple Asian grocer, AM-KO, a hole needed to be filled. Students from Northern Illinois are not strangers to H Mart, with five out of six Illinois locations in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. However, students in downstate Illinois are not quite as familiar with the chain.
“I’m from St. Louis, Missouri, and we don’t have an H Mart there,” said Allison Lam, freshman in Business. “It’s really exciting being able to finally go to one after seeing all the hype online.”
Having access to specialty groceries is not the only thing that H Mart brings to the C-U area. It also brings in a new selection of Asian restaurants to explore. Its three restaurants feature classic Asian dishes, while the bakery focuses on serving popular pastries and desserts.
“We just ordered the roast tteokbokki soup,” Oropesa said. “I can definitely say that we are excited to try it.”
The lines for the food were just as long as the lines to check out — whether it was families coming to enjoy a quick meal while shopping or someone eating stag, the food court was buzzing with enthusiastic patrons.
H Mart’s slogan is “feel at home wherever you are from.” In a town with a large international and Asian community, H Mart is certainly bringing the feeling of home to many.
