When Asian convenience store Konbini shuttered at Mills Market, the Asian food hall located at 1110 E Colonial Drive in the Mills 50 neighborhood, Orlando foodies were lost at the prospect of not being able to find their favorite snacks and goodies.
Willian Shen, the chef/restaurateur of two-Michelin-starred Sorekara along with a cadre of approachable spots inside Mills Market, has decided to step in and fill that gap.
This summer, Shen is opening UniMart, offering viral Japanese snacks, candies, and other items. In addition, the shop, located inside the food hall, will serve prepared food such as tamago sandos, konbini fried chicken, bento boxes, and other goodies. Shen already owns several concepts at Mills Market including Cowboy Curry, UniGirl, Zaru, and Okonomi.
In the U.S., convenience stores are best known for on-the-go coffees, soft drinks, hot dogs, and prepackaged foods. In Japan, however, convenience stores, called konbinis, sell high quality sandos, bento boxes, and fried chicken along with beautifully stocked aisles of candy, snacks, makeup, and more. Walking into the Japanese version of 7-Eleven, along with other chains like Family Mart and Lawson, is an everyday part of life for busy people wanting a good, value-priced meal. UniMart will bring the same experience to Mills Market.
