Work is underway on Boo Han Market’s third location at 32945 Pacific Highway S. in Federal Way. Jae Han, the company’s second-generation owner-operator, told What Now Seattle that he expects the store to open near the end of 2026, although the construction schedule could change.
The new market will occupy an 18,870-square-foot space previously used by Grocery Outlet, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.
The Federal Way project comes more than five decades after Boo Han moved from South Korea to Lakewood in 1973. His family settled in a 400-square-foot home along Lakeview. Four years later, Boo Han and his wife began making tofu and rice cakes in a nearby garage he had built.
Jae Han was about 10 years old then. “I grew up helping them, learning the business firsthand, and watching it develop over the years,” Han said.
The family opened its South Tacoma Way grocery store in Lakewood in 1979. It expanded to 35,000 square feet in 1990 and became a longtime part of Lakewood’s International District.
Boo Han Market added its Edmonds store in 2000. Except for his college years, Jae Han has worked in the family business since childhood. He took over leadership after his father died four years ago.
“It was a significant personal and professional responsibility, and I remain committed to carrying forward what my parents built while guiding the company into its next generation. The new Federal Way store is part of that journey,” Han said.
The new store will offer Korean and other Asian foods alongside everyday grocery items.
“We want to create a welcoming grocery destination where customers of all backgrounds can discover Korean and other Asian foods while also finding products for their everyday shopping needs.”
Business hours for Boo Han Market in Federal Way are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the grocery’s website. Details on hiring, the range of products available, and the grand opening will be released later.
