HanYang Mart (H&Y Marketplace) and Team Spirit Realty & Investment recently held a meet for prospective sub-tenants at Hotel Marriott off Pleasant Hill Road. The purpose of the meet was to introduce the mart’s newest 90,000 sq ft store that is slated to open doors this September, (at the North Point Group’s Point Berkeley International Village in Duluth) to Atlanta’s retail businesses.
Speaking on the occasion, Chong Oh, executive director of HanYang Mart outlined the reasons why the famed NY/NJ based group zeroed in on Atlanta for its newest store.
“The shopping center at Duluth has a village concept, that is international in flavor,” he said. “It is not just for the Korean community, but for the fast growing international communities of Atlanta.”
“Also, the NY/NJ markets are saturated, while Georgia has potential for businesses to develop in several areas.”
The third factor, said Oh, was to make, “Our dream work.”
“Since 1986 when we opened our first store in Flushing, NY, we have had a dream to expand into an international market, and we have been researching how best to do that,” he said. The Duluth international village provided the perfect arena for this dream to be fulfilled.
Oh provided a brief timeline on HanYang, which has grown and diversified since its inception in 1986 to include six stores and several diversified subsidiaries- ranging from stationery to an order-by-phone service to a cultural foundation.
“We have grown into a mid-sized company with 380 employees,” said Oh.
The Duluth marketplace will have a green concept, and promises the best shopping environment that customers will enjoy.
“HanYang also stands for health and youth,” said Oh. “For our Long Island store which opened in 2007, we have imported bulbs from Germany that cost $450 each as against $50 for regular bulbs in other stores,” he said. The result is a “shopping in sunlight” experience.
“Even our color concepts are exceptional, and I am sure there is no other international store that is better in design,” he said, adding, “We plan to upgrade our Duluth store up one notch, to make it our best store in the US.”
The Duluth market will have plenty of lush greenery, and a luxurious interior.
“The main entrance will look like a hotel lobby. The floors will have a natural look. The seafood section will have an “ocean” look and feel,” said Oh.
Oh also spoke about Taek Sun Han, Founder & CEO of HanYang mart, a 2003 Ellis Island Medal of Honor winner who is geared towards helping the community through his foundation and promoting immigration laws as a supporter of the Democratic Party.
HanYang Mart is currently looking for sub tenants. New business opportunities include 48 retail stores out of which 14 will be different kinds of restaurants.
“Businesses will benefit from the heavy flow of grocery shoppers, and from being the only business of its kind in the premises,” promised Oh. “We also plan to celebrate festivals and special occasions like ladies day, kids’ day etc.”
John Kim, CEO of Team Spirit Realty & Investment made an audio-visual presentation on Phase 3 of the Point Berkeley International Village which will promote the concept of “live, shop, work and play”. Phase 3, which is slated for completion in the first quarter of 2009, will include a seven-story 150 room full service hotel, a seven-story 136,000 sq ft. class A office building and 65,000 sq ft of retail space. The hotel will be truly international, said Kim.