Zion Market Grows Up: The Asian Market Saga Continues

Amazing, the Korean Shopping Scene in San Diego has evolved  quite a bit since the Asian Market Chronicles Series started.  We got a new Korean Market in H-Mart, and Zion Market has now expanded to one of the largest Korean Markets in America.  More amazingly, this series is still alive and kicking!

Zion Market in San Diego moved to its new location in Clairemont Mesa, and I had the opportunity to visit the grocery store this weekend. Overall I believe it was a change for the good.  Below are some of my thoughts:

The Good:

Bigger Shopping Area:

Zion Market in San Diego could perhaps be the largest Korean Grocery Store in America!

More Parking Spaces!

•  No more shaking fists, cold stares, getting a free lesson on Korean street obscenities, and the frustration of making the same loop over and over again.

More Aisle Space!

•  No more lady folks poking my lower back and sides to make me move… Now to figure out what it means when this happens and I hear “saranghae” whispered at me .

A Separate Seafood Section!

• The most jarring experiences of going to the old Zion Market was enduring the fishy odor from the seafood aisle across from the Korean Snack Section (I have to pinch my nose when I walk near Pepero Sticks now). Then the process of adding a little bit of cologne after wards to make an unholy mélange of smells….ugh. Not anymore, the fish section is far away from all the regular food. Double Yay!

More Check-out Counters!

• No more having to stand awkwardly for 10 minutes while doing slight rhythmic knee bends to the songs playing on the speakers and pretending to check my cellphone. Yay!

Empty department stores!

• What will occupy the remaining area of the store? A boba tea shop? A Norebang Lounge? A clothing store? Another Paris Baguette?  It appears we might see a food court by July 4th

Orange & Green  Colored Shopping Carts!

• So charming to think you are pushing a carrot cart around the store.

The Not-so-good:

No Grand Opening?

• Zion Market is a San Diego store, it is the heart of the franchise, and there was absolutely no advertisement about the store expanding , no one had a solid date for when the new store would open, and there was no weekend celebration (not even a single  balloon) to commemorate such a big moment in the company’s history. Very unusual. Rumor has it there will be a Grand Opening in the end of June.

No Zion Bakery?

• Yes, there will be a Paris Baguette arriving soon… However, H-Mart already has one. I’ve been to both establishments, and Zion Bakery had some items which were either better than or not even served by Paris Baguette (Almond Cookies, Korean Scones, Vegetable and Egg Koroke, Carrot Cake, etc).

Here’s hoping more KMART and  SEARS turn into Korean Markets 🙂

-Fateh K.