While most of Eastland Mall sits dark and fenced off, one familiar name is quietly staking a bigger claim on the neighborhood. John Sung, co-founder of Saraga International Grocery, has snapped up Eastland Plaza at 2561 S. Hamilton Road, adding to a spring buying spree that totals roughly $13.2 million and nudges Saraga closer to the center of the city's ambitious Eastland redevelopment plans.
That shopping-center deal is part of a cluster of commercial purchases near the former mall site that Sung has made since March. Columbus Business First identified Sung as a co-founder of Saraga International Grocery and reported that the acquisitions expand his holdings along the South Hamilton Road corridor.
All of this lines up neatly with the community's wish list for what comes after Eastland. The city's "Eastland for Everyone" plan calls for affordable housing, essential services, and a walkable business district, along with a revamped South Hamilton Road that spotlights an international retail hub centered on Saraga. WOSU Public Media reported that residents and planners view a Saraga-anchored retail node as key to closing long-standing food-access gaps on the southeast side.
On the ground, the old mall is already being stripped down. Cleanup and demolition work at the former Eastland site are moving ahead with state brownfield dollars targeted at asbestos abatement and the removal of dilapidated structures, early steps intended to clear the way for new development. Columbus Business First reported on the brownfield grants and the local push to remediate the property.
What Sung Bought
Eastland Plaza sits just south of the old mall footprint and is listed in public property records as a roughly 3.4-acre, 35,140-square-foot shopping center, a scale and location that line up well with a grocer-anchored retail strategy. LoopNet provides the parcel profile and zoning details that help explain why the site is attractive for neighborhood-serving retail.
Why It Matters
Saraga stores have a history of doing more than just selling groceries. The chain's locations tend to pull in steady foot traffic and give small food businesses a place to grow, turning grocery anchors into unofficial community hubs in neighborhoods where there are not many other options. Local coverage of recent Saraga openings has documented how the market's international selection and on-site food vendors can bring new life to otherwise quiet commercial strips. 614Now and earlier reporting highlight Saraga's role as both a regional draw and a neighborhood gathering spot.
Whether Sung moves quickly to redevelop his new properties or sits on them as strategic land for future projects remains an open question. What is clear is that his buying streak is a tangible sign that the Eastland corridor is drawing investor interest as demolition and cleanup progress. The next year should show whether an international grocer can help anchor a broader comeback story for the Eastland area.
