H Mart remodel and food court expansion moves forward in Cherry Hill
The Cherry Hill Township Planning Board on Monday approved plans for an expansion to the popular Asian grocery store located off of Route 70.
After nearly 25 years, a popular Asian grocery store in Cherry Hill is headed for a major remodel.
The Cherry Hill Township Planning Board on Monday approved a request to expand and revamp H Mart, an outpost of a Korean grocery chain off Route 70 that has served the South Jersey community since 2001.
The remodel is set to include upgrades to the store’s first floor to “enhance the customer environment.” Plans also include the construction of an open-concept food court, bakery, and mercantile space on the second floor.
The goal of the second-floor remodel is to create a “popular destination within the community,” according to an application submitted to the township. Construction is underway on the interior renovations.
For many shoppers, H Mart is more than just a grocery store. Due to its sprawling aisles, bustling food courts, and wide snack selection, the chain has developed a bit of a cult following, even inspiring the best-selling novel Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast.
On a given afternoon at an H Mart food court, patrons can expect everything from fresh kimbap and steaming bowls of noodles and Asian-inspired baked goods.
H Mart was founded in New York City in 1982 by Korean immigrant Il Yeon Kwon. What was once a single store has grown to include nearly 100 locations across the United States, including four in the Philadelphia area — Cherry Hill, Upper Darby, Elkins Park, and Olney.
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When it opened, the Cherry Hill H Mart was the company’s 10th store and its fourth in New Jersey. The grocery store chain carries a wide array of both Asian and American groceries with a specific focus on Korean foods.
H Mart is said to have expanded shopping opportunities in Asian American communities, where, decades ago, grocery options could be limited.
Cherry Hill is home to a large and growing Asian community. The township’s Asian population grew from around 8,300 residents in 2010 to 10,700 in 2020, per U.S. Census data.