The Sentinel

New Asian supermarket, H Mart in Urbana set to open tomorrow

New H Mart at 220 N. Broadway in Urbana set to open on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Photo: oursentinel.com

URBANA - H Mart, America's largest Asian supermarket chain, will open its first downstate Illinois location Wednesday in downtown Urbana, marking a significant expansion beyond its Chicago-area presence.

The 32,000-square-foot store at 220 N. Broadway Ave. will celebrate its grand opening with traditional festivities beginning at 9:50 a.m., including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Korean dance performance and Lion Dance.

The store represents H Mart's sixth location in Illinois and brings authentic Asian grocery options to the diverse Champaign-Urbana community. The new location occupies a renovated former Save-A-Lot building, demonstrating the company's commitment to adaptive reuse.

"H Mart is excited to bring an authentic taste of Asia to your neighborhood," said H Mart President Brian Kwon in a statement. "Our market is all about celebrating the richness and variety of Asian cuisine, making it easier than ever to find the flavors you love, right here at home."

The store features the "Market Eatery" food court, offering various Asian cuisines in a sit-down dining environment. Shoppers will find extensive selections of packaged good, Asian produce, seafood, meats and Asian specialty items.

Opening day shoppers can participate in several promotions, including free gifts for purchases over $50 and complimentary reusable shopping bags with $30 purchases. New members joining the H Mart Smart Rewards Card program will receive a free thermos mug cup and 2025 calendar.

Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin welcomed the investment, noting the store's potential impact on downtown vitality and job creation.

"Our diverse community is excited to shop the full line of Asian and American groceries, meats, seafood, produce, housewares and ready-made meals," Marlin said.

The store will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., including holidays. Opening day promotions include free gifts for purchases over $50 and reusable shopping bags for purchases exceeding $30, while supplies last.

Founded in 1982 in Queens, New York, H-Mart as grown to more than 100 stores across 18 states. The Urbana location marks the chain's sixth Illinois store and its first venture outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Guest Commentary |
Give your life one more chance

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Glenn Mollette

Too often we quit right at the time we were close to being successful. Frequently, we give up at the darkest part of the night when morning was so close to appearing.

You may have spent a lifetime trying to conquer an addiction. Your addiction has colored your life in an unflattering way. Most likely it’s affected your success, finances, and your relationships.

Answer this question, is your addiction worth what it has cost you? Do you really derive that much pleasure from the very thing that keeps tearing you apart and bringing you down? We both know the answer, and it’s a big no. Yet, you keep going back to what brings you down. Why not try one more time? This could be the year that you turn the corner and the page for a new and better you.

You may feel as if your marriage and relationship with your spouse has failed. He or she has failed, you have failed, you both have given up, and let your marriage die. What could he or she do differently? What can you do differently?

No one is perfect. Another man or woman will have their own issues of some kind. We are imperfect people. Is your marriage worth saving? What about all the years, toil, work, and life that you have shared with this other person? Is it not worth giving it one more try? If you give it one more honest effort at least you’ll know that you tried and that will be worth some peace of mind down the road.

Sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk and deal with any and every issue that you feel is important to making your marriage work. Talk it out, pray it out, be completely real. There was something about this person that made you love and marry him/her, so go back and give it one more concerted effort at making it really work.

Every human has had some kind of life failure. Abraham Lincoln lost election after election. Losing an election is gut wrenching but he kept trying. President Donald Trump has been through about as much as anyone I’ve known but came back to be our President. Most of us would have given up long ago and could never have survived all he has been through. What do you need to try one more time?

What about your weight loss? Are you tired of feeling bad, having clothes that won’t fit, and watching your health decline because you are carry 20 or 30 pounds you don’t need? You have probably lost 10 or 20 pounds and then put it right back on. We’ve all done this more than once. It’s easy to do. As Dolly Parton said, “There is a fat person inside me trying to get out.”

I feel the same way. Why not get real religious about your eating. It’s 95% about your eating. Exercise helps but it’s mostly about your eating. Go to small portions three or four times a day. This way you’ll not be starving and you’ll slowly lose about a pound a week. In six months, you’ll be so happy you’ll be singing and dancing.

Don’t give up on God. He will help you with all the above and more. The old song asks this question, “Have you failed in your plan of your storm-tossed life? Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand. Are you weary and worn from its toil and strife? Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand. He will keep to the end, He’s your dearest friend. Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand.”

About the author ~

Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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