Foodies can pencil in the much-anticipated opening of H Mart for early next year in a shopping center under construction at Loop 820 and North Beach Street in Haltom City, city officials and the leasing broker say.
Additionally, 33 specialty restaurants, retailers, salons and other tenants have signed leases to enter the center with H Mart, the broker said. The restaurants will serve up everything from Korean barbecue to Thai, sushi, Mexican food and Japanese cheesecake.
The H Mart center should, like other centers anchored by the grocer, become a significant regional draw, Rex Phelps, the city manager, said in an interview.
“We see our city as a city of many flavors,” he said. “It’s going to open this side of the metroplex up to a lot of new things; it’s an adventure.”
Bob Moore Construction, the general contractor, expects to deliver the completed shells of the 16-acre, 200,000-square-foot center’s 10 buildings to tenants in August, said Rafe Song, founding partner of Texas Legacy Realty in Carrollton and the broker for the project.
Additionally, H Mart is in the process of buying its 42,500-square-foot space from the developer, Haltom City Forest Properties LLC, Song said in an interview.
H Mart, which has nearly 90 locations open in the United States including eight in Texas and one under construction in Dallas, and the tenants will then begin finishing out their spaces.
The center is 88% leased, Song said.
Asked when he expects H Mart to open, Song said he couldn’t speak for the company, “but we believe they’re going to open in the first quarter of next year.”
H Mart, based in New Jersey, did not respond to requests for an interview from the Report.
Once they take possession of their spaces, the rents kick in for the other tenants after six months, he said.
The west side of the metroplex has historically had pockets of Asian foods in cities such as Haltom City and Arlington, but the swell of anticipation is already evident, Phelps and Song said.
The grocer’s products run the gamut from Asian foods to staples like produce, dairy, meats, poultry, baked goods and “fish so fresh, it’s alive!”
“The foodies are very, very excited,” Phelps said. “We’ve had so many more hits (on Haltom social media related to the H Mart) than any story we can remember.”
Haltom City’s Asian food clusters are popular among millennials and Gen Zers, he said. And he pointed out that H Mart isn’t just about Asian foods.
The Carrollton store, for one, which Song said is the top sales-generating store in the company, carries a broad range of products beyond Asian ones.
Song, a Korean immigrant who has lived in North Texas since 2000, remembers visiting the H Mart in Carrollton early on. “At first, (customers were) majority Asian,” he said. Today, “everybody is there.”
The Haltom City store will be similar in feel to the Carrollton store, which includes a bakery and food court with several cafes near the entry, Song said. The Haltom store will also feature a bakery and cafes.
But, unlike the Carrollton store, it won’t have other specialty stores inside the H Mart, he said.
H Mart’s opening will complete a lengthy quest by the city and Phelps to open a grocery store on part of the 60-acre commercial site at the southeast corner of Loop 820 and Beach.
The site’s commercial zoning was an impediment for the owner, Mercantile Partners, which specializes in light industrial — not retail and restaurant. Phelps negotiated the 16-acre carveout from the site now being developed as the H Mart center. Mercantile is following through with the development of light industrial on the other 34 acres.
After Phelps spent a year negotiating the carveout, the H Mart opportunity was introduced to the city through one of its City Council members, Phelps said.
The site was drawing interest from traditional grocers, but Phelps said H Mart’s value as a regional draw was too much to pass on.
“We love neighborhood grocery stores, but this was a home run,” he said. “It was a grand slam.”
Haltom City continues to enjoy intense interest from more potential development, Phelps said. Three Marriott-nameplated hotels, the 45,000-square-foot Pickleball Kingdom at Haltom Road and Loop 820, and more residential development are coming off the drawing board.
H Mart continues to generate more interest, Phelps said. “We’ve had more calls and interest in Haltom City development than we’ve ever had,” he said.
Here’s a look at some of the restaurants and retailers that have signed leases in the H Mart-anchored center under construction in Haltom City. — Scott Nishimura
Tous les Jours – French-Asian bakery
Teso Life – Japanese retail chain that sells Japanese snacks, beauty items, kitchenware, home goods, stationery and toys
Uncle Tetsu – Japanese bakery chain known for light, fluffy and mildly sweet Japanese cheesecakes
CoCo Ichibanya – Global Japanese curry house known for its customizable curry rice dishes
The Alley – Taiwanese bubble tea chain known for its handcrafted drinks and stylish aesthetic
Mensho – Japanese ramen chain
It’s KBBQ & Shabu Shabu – All-you-can-eat Korean barbecue, sushi and shabu-shabu
Café BomBom – South Korean coffee and dessert franchise
Clawzania – Arcade claw machines filled with plush toys and collectibles
Eiswelt Gelato – Shop sculpts gelato into animal figures, like bunnies, lions and pigs
bb.q Chicken – Korean fried chicken from South Korean franchise
Maht Gaek – Traditional Korean dishes in a cozy modern atmosphere
Sushi Axiom – Blend of Japanese and Asian-inspired cuisine in a modern, upscale and casual setting
Somisomi – Korean-inspired dessert chain known for its signature ah- boong, a warm, fish-shaped waffle cone with your preferred filling and topped with soft serve ice cream
The Lantern Tavern – Pub offers specialty cocktails, craft beers on tap and a dog-friendly patio
Tu Chilito – Family-owned Mexican restaurant
Bamb? Dessert Drinks – Vietnamese dessert and beverage chain
Okin – Pho
The Kickin’ Crab – Lively Cajun seafood chain known for seafood boils served in bags
R&B Tea – Taiwanese bubble tea brand
Chodang Village – Korean restaurant chain known for authentic dishes, including its signature sundubu-jjigae stew
Nigori Sushi – Sushi rolls, sashimi and other Japanese dishes
Hui Lau Shan – Dessert chain based in Hong Kong focuses on mango-themed desserts and snacks
Hanabi Ramen & Izakaya – Authentic ramen shop offering traditional recipes and premium ingredients
McDonald’s – Where there’s global, there has to be golden arches
Sources: City of Haltom City, Texas Legacy Realty
Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.