Cherry Hill, Evesham/Marlton, Medford, Medford Lakes, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees and elsewhere near the iconic state highways of Routes 70 and 73.
The H Mart in Cherry Hill on Route 70 with the sign for the now-closed Beawon Korean BBQ restaurant.Â
HAR Cherry Hill Corp. plans submitted to Cherry Hill Planning Board
H Mart, which touts itself as the largest Asian supermarket chain in the nation with nearly 100 outlets, plans an extensive renovation of its 24-year-old market on Route 70 in Cherry Hill.
The market also plans to replace the closed Beawon - Stacey's Korean BBQ restaurant on the second, street-level floor and other tenant spaces with an open-concept food court, bakery and mercantile store, according to an application for a site plan waiver and bulk variances the Township Planning Board is scheduled to consider on April 21.
As the Asian population has nearly tripled in Camden County since 1990, the demand has grown for Asian food ingredients that are not available in conventional supermarkets. The Asian population in Camden County was 11,504 in the 1990 Census and grew to 32,598 in the 2020 Census.
Large competitors of H Mart include the Hung Vuong Food Market (named after a mythical Vietnamese leader) on Brace Road in Cherry Hill and the Sunseng Supermarket on Route 38 in Pennsauken near the Cherry Hill border.
H Mart, now based in North Jersey, opened its first market in 1982 in Woodside, Queens, New York, called "Han ah reum," a Korean phrase that in English means an "armful" and can refer to a large quantity of groceries. The store name has since been shortened to H Mart.
A rendering of how the renovated H Mart supermarket and food court would look from Route 70.
HAR Cherry Hill Corp. plans submitted to Cherry Hill Planning Board
H Mart's plans for its Cherry Hill store call for a "comprehensive renovation of the entire store to enhance the customer environment and service quality," according to its Planning Board application. All mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems would be upgraded, and all display units and refrigeration/freezer equipment would be replaced.
"With entirely new facilities, this space is designed to become a popular destination within the community," according to HAR Cherry Hill Corp.'s application. The property is owned by More Cherry Hill Plaza LLC of Paramus.
