H Mart employees prepare fresh foods at the new supermarket. EDISON — The former Tops Appliance shopping plaza is booming once again.
Township officials joined a celebration Dec. 9 marking the opening of an H Mart Asian grocery store, complete with traditional Asian pomp and circumstance.
The Korean-owned supermarket chain, which opened its previous, smaller Edison location in 1998 on Old Post Road, now occupies 56,000 square feet on Route 27.
Michael McCarthy, owner of the plaza, said earlier this year that he was planning a plaza design using the West Coast style he has used for his other developments in California. He said those who come to the retail and office complex will see an enhanced center of connected walking paths, outdoor dining areas and a variation of retail-oriented services.
No residential units will be included, he said.T
he Edison Planning Board voted in 2008 to approve the village center concept, encompassing 194,250 square feet of retail and commercial space and 776 parking spaces.
H Mart, a Korean abbreviation of “Han Ah Reum,” meaning “one arm full of groceries,” is anchoring the site. Other tenants include a 10,000-square-foot barbecue restaurant, the Nara Bank, a dry cleaner store and a spa. Other tenants to be determined in the future could include medical and law offices and anything from hair and nail salons to another bank.
“We want to make the variety interesting,” McCarthy said. “We want this to be the place where people who live in town or people who come into town hang out or just come and grab a cup of coffee.”
Dignitaries joining in on the store opening included Edison Mayor Antonia Ricigliano, members of her administration, state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), former Mayor Jun Choi, and members of both the Chinese American Association and the Indian American Association.
“This is an auspicious day not only for the Korean community, but for the entire community,” Ricigliano said.
Officials and others who visited the store enjoyed a traditional Chinese lion dance and Korean folk songs.
H Mart officials said they put a great deal of care and love into their products. Their first store opened in 1982 in Queens, N.Y., and the company has grown to 45 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, including five in New Jersey.
The new Edison H Mart has 85 employees — 60 full-time and 15 to 25 parttime, and its owners have plans to support the community through charities.
Kapil Shah of the American Indian Association welcomed H Mart.
“There really is no convenient store like this on Route 27,” he said. “With the economy the way it is and stores closing, the opening of this store is a good thing with a lot of job opportunities.”
Buono said H Mart is opening in a township that is the “epicenter of diversity.”
“I was glad to hear about the fresh seafood … I will be shopping here,” she said with a smile. “And as you satisfy the sophisticated palate of all of New Jersey, it is great to hear that you are philanthropic as well.”
The store’s grand opening brought a flood of people into the store.
Jung Akiyama of Freehold said she was excited about the H Mart.
“No more traveling up to Fort Lee or Philadelphia,” she said with a laugh. “This is half the commute and toll free.”