H Mart, the Korean supermarket chain with a growing Bay Area following, is planning its largest U.S. store in Fremont. The Bay Area location is being positioned as a flagship store and is expected to include a curated food hall. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
H Mart Plans Largest U.S. Store at Pacific Commons
Beloved Korean grocery giant H Mart continues to grow its presence in the country with its latest plans to launch a ‘flagship store’ at Pacific Commons Shopping Center in Fremont, California. According to an official press release, spanning 100,000 square feet, the multilevel grocery outlet in Pacific Commons Shopping Center, will mark the largest investment in H Mart’s history.
While H Mart has not announced an opening date, construction on the multilevel store is expected to begin in late 2026.
Pacific Commons’ new flagship H Mart strengthens the center’s position as one of Northern California’s top retail destinations, according to Rick Hearn, Vestar’s Vice President of Leasing.
Hearn added, “Together with our partners at Heitman and the City of Fremont, we are actively adapting to our consumers’ shopping preferences, focused on welcoming experiential, destination-driven concepts that energize the center and serve the broader community.”
First-of-Its-Kind Food Hall Planned for Fremont H Mart
In addition to groceries, the Fremont location will feature a range of on-site dining options. The addition of a curated food hall represents a major expansion of H Mart’s U.S. store format and offer the Bay Area a mix of fast-casual eateries, a bar, full-service sit-down restaurants, and other entertainment options.
Brian Kwon, president of H Mart, said, “At H Mart, we strive to enrich lives through our Asian heritage, food, and culture, and this new location represents a bold new chapter for us.”
“The City of Fremont is proud to welcome H Mart to our community. Their transformative investment reflects strong confidence in Fremont and the Pacific Commons Shopping Center. This 100,000-square-foot flagship location will bring together shopping, dining, and entertainment, creating a vibrant, centralized gathering place for residents and visitors alike,” said Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan in the press release. “The innovative reuse of a vacant large-format retail space reflects the City’s strategic commitment to reimagining vacant commercial properties into destinations that generate jobs, amenities, and lasting community value.”
H Mart’s Existing Bay Area Presence
H Mart launched its debut store in San Francisco at 3995 Alemany Blvd in 2021. Bay Area shoppers received Korean cooking staples, houseware, meat items, and more offerings at the location. Besides this, the grocery giant has a San Jose outlet at 1710 Oakland Road.
H Mart currently operates about 100 stores across 18 U.S. states. While the grocery chain’s specialization lies in offering Korean goods, shoppers across the country can also find a selection of Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian items.
H Mart’s latest Fremont flagship store will mark a significant leap for the grocery retailer and a substantial addition to the food scene in the Bay Area. Once open, the Fremont flagship is expected to draw shoppers from across the Bay Area, reinforcing the city’s growing reputation as a regional retail and dining destination.
