A Korean grocery chain is about to take over a vacant La Habra storefront, and it's bringing a sushi counter with 48 varieties, fresh kimbap and a rice bakery along with it. Mega Mart says its first Southern California location will officially open Thursday at 1610 W. Imperial Highway, inside the La Habra Marketplace next door to Kohl's.
The grand opening is set to begin with a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. Thursday, according to the Orange County Register. The space takes over what was previously an Amazon Fresh store that shuttered in October 2025, and the same outlet reports the fixtures left behind were simply repurposed for the new tenant. Mega Mart's own announcement, posted on its website, confirms the October 29 date and lists the address as Suite 200, while Korea Daily describes the former Amazon Fresh footprint as Suite 100 spanning 40,981 square feet — the two accounts don't agree on the suite number, so both versions are noted here.
Shoppers walking in Thursday can expect a dining area near the entrance, Korean beauty products, and a sushi counter slinging sushi, sashimi, rolls and musubi, per Korea Daily's count of 48 varieties. The same report describes fresh kimbap, ready-to-eat comfort food, and a rice bakery and deli rounding out the offerings. The Register notes that daily hours after the opening rush will settle into 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Free Rice and a Crowd-Pleasing Giveaway
Mega Mart plans to reward early arrivals Thursday: the first 500 customers will walk away with a free 5-pound bag of Icheon rice, according to the New York Post. It's the kind of grand-opening perk that has become something of a signature move for Asian grocery chains chasing buzz in new markets.
Mega Mart's own history is itself a bit of a puzzle. The Register reports the chain was founded in South Korea in 1975, while the company's corporate history page, megakfood.com, traces its roots to 1981, when a Nongshim subsidiary called Nongshim-Ga entered the supermarket business, with the first store not opening in Busan until 1995. Those competing timelines haven't been reconciled, so both versions are worth knowing before repeating either one as gospel.
Part of a Bigger Asian Grocery Wave
La Habra's new store lands amid a broader surge of Asian grocery chains expanding across California. Earlier in October, Hashi Market, a Japanese chain that got its start in New York City, opened its first California location in Cupertino inside a former Sprouts Market, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. That 20,000-square-foot store stocks imported Japanese goods, seafood, meat, produce and pantry staples, and discounts all sushi by 30% after 8 p.m. The Mercury News reports the chain expects to open roughly 10 more stores between now and mid-2027.
Other chains are making even bigger bets in California. T&T Supermarkets announced a 61,000-square-foot store in Chino Hills, its second planned Southern California location, slated to open this fall with live seafood, beauty products and a self-serve hot-food bar, per a release carried on PR Newswire. H Mart, meanwhile, is planning a 100,000-square-foot multi-level flagship in Fremont with a food hall and sit-down restaurants, according to ABC7 News. And when Tokyo Central opened in Emeryville in January, thousands showed up on opening day, with some camping outside overnight, the East Bay Times reported.
Why the Boom Is Happening Now
The timing tracks with national numbers. The U.S. Asian food market is projected to reach $51.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 4.7% compounded annual rate, according to data cited by CNBC. Sales of Asian grocery items jumped from $1.57 billion in 2021 to more than $2.31 billion more recently, per the same report, which also notes that chains like H Mart, Patel Brothers and 99 Ranch Market are opening new locations nationwide as Asian products move beyond the traditional ethnic aisle into mainstream grocery sections.
Korea Daily reports Mega Mart already has its sights on further Southern California expansion, with future locations eyeing spots like Los Angeles and Irvine. For now, La Habra shoppers get first crack at the chain's regional debut when the doors open Thursday morning.
