Well, as reported by FOYs (Fred and Carol) in comments to this post, Marukai has gone forward with a "soft opening" to shake out bugs and get people trained. The signs out front still say "Opening February 1st", but as the Missus noted this past Friday in a hurried cell phone call, "the lights are on, and people look like they're shopping."
I drove by later that evening and saw people pushing shopping carts filled with grocery bags in the parking lot. This meant one of 2 things; either Marukai had gone the soft opening route(as the West Covina did years ago), or this was one heck of a training drill!
Having a full plate most of the weekend, I managed to drag my wind-burned and rain soaked self to Marukai this morning. I arrived at about 930am, to find the place empty. I grabbed a shopping basket, and started walking......
On my first lap, I just did a quick check of "what wasn't there"....fish department and prepared foods. I've always had good luck with the fish I've purchased at Marukai, and was a regular at West Covina, where I could ask the Fishmongers to cut my maguro, or hold ogo for me when we lived in LA. The meat department didn't look fully stocked either.
After looking through the Japanese offerings - 3 brands of Shiokara, anyone? Which was adequate...and the prices which are as a whole cheaper than the other 2 large Japanese markets
in San Diego. I started going through my mental lists of "Local Kine Stuffs".......
Purity and Redondo's Portuguese Sausage - check.
S & S Saimin - but no Okuhara's - but Sun's Okinawa Soba - maybe three-quarters of a check???
Frozen Zippy's stuff - check.
Frozen Okuhara Kamabuko(it doesn't taste quite the same...but it's still ok) - check.
2 Brands of Lau Lau(both of which I hate....but if it floats your boat) - check.
Coral Tuna - but only water packed, not oil packed - one-fourth of a check.
Pa'akai and another brand of Hawaiian salt - but Auwe! No moa' Alaea! (red sea salt) - kinda, sorta a check!
Aloha shoyu and other sauces - check!
Hawaiian Sun Jam and Jellies - check!
Malolo Syrup - but all lemon lime, and one lonely strawberry - a reluctant check.
Diamond Head Bakery Soda and Saloon Pilot Cracker - check.
Enough Chocolate covered Macadamian Nuts, cookies, and sweets, to keep all of San Diego's Dentists in business till the next century.
No moa Maebo's One Ton Chips which I was looking for.
No Halm's or Park's brand stuff either......
By this time the handles to the shopping basket were digging into my hands, and I got tired of shooting my photos one-handed, so I decided to call it a day.
Tonight I'm taking a trip back into time, and having something I haven't had in years:
Something simple.....it is just frozen stuff, and some pretty bland Char Siu, but for a somewhat homesick Ex-Pat Kama'aina...a little slice of heaven.
Marukai Market
8151 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
A couple of notes: Marukai is a membership market, though you can pay $1 for a one-day membership. The manager on duty said that I didn't need a membership to shop on this morning, because I wanted to renew my card. But after speaking to Cathy today, I found that they had her purchase a membership - which is $10/year(and in my mind more than worth it) so I dunno. This parking lot is going to be a horror......it is not nearly big enough for Daiso, Marukai Living, and Marukai Market...... The Manager also told me, that not everything has come in yet, so there are more items to be stocked.
Woohoo! I am so happy!
Posted by: Keoki323 | Sunday, 27 January 2008 at 09:04 PM
I'm so happy for you guys! I hope some of the unchecked stuff will be brought in soon! (crossing my fingers and toes)
Posted by: Kat | Sunday, 27 January 2008 at 09:13 PM
yaaaaaay!
so excited to hear about marukai's opening. thanks for all those pix -- i'm craving some of that stuff now...ONO!
farrah
Posted by: farrah | Sunday, 27 January 2008 at 10:32 PM
cool! can't wait to check it out!
Posted by: caninecologne | Sunday, 27 January 2008 at 10:52 PM
Woohoo! I'll have to find some time to pop over during lunch hour this week. That parking lot looked awfully small.
Posted by: Carol | Monday, 28 January 2008 at 07:44 AM
Yea, the Convoy grocery corridor expands, and we are all the better fed for it!
Posted by: Amy | Monday, 28 January 2008 at 09:16 AM
I'm excited about the opening too! I would be even more excited if they had a food court with a Beard Papa's like the OC location.
Posted by: howie | Monday, 28 January 2008 at 11:19 AM
too bad about the one ton chips - i just had my brother bring some back last week after visiting our dad on the big island (he lives in honoka'a). i love those things!
Posted by: Julie | Monday, 28 January 2008 at 12:12 PM
Awww... I'm happy you finally got a Marukai. I've been taking mine for granted for too long.
Posted by: Chubbypanda | Monday, 28 January 2008 at 06:43 PM
Hi Keoki - I thought you'd enjoy this one!
Hi Kat - Thanks! I hope you're enjoying your vacation.
Hi Farrah - Double ono! It's about time, yeah?
Hi CC - Hope you enjoy checking it out.
Hi Carol - That parking lot is going to be horrors....
Hi Amy - I've been rather pleased with the new places popping up over the last year.
Hi Howie - I don't know....not much room...but one can always hope!
Hi Julie - i'm hoping they stock it soon, I usually pick mine up at either the Gardena or Costa Mesa location........pretty expensive though.
Hi CP - Thanks....it's about time we get one.
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 28 January 2008 at 08:44 PM
I went last night after stopping by Zion (weekday evenings really are the best time to go shopping at these places to avoid parking hassles and crowds). Shelves are quite sparsely stocked, but I anticipate all that will change after their grand-opening. When I went to pay, the cashier made no mention of a membership card, so either it's not in effect until after the grand-opening or the SD store won't require one.
Posted by: Green Turtle | Tuesday, 29 January 2008 at 01:21 PM
Hi GT - There's the standard Marukai, "this is a membership market" sign at the front door, so I think that past Feb 1st, or maybe some other introductory date, the membership requirements will kick in. But who knows, Marukai Little Tokyo is non-membership, and the Pacific Market in Gardena requires membership only for sales items.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 29 January 2008 at 08:00 PM
Hi Kirk,
Is Marukai like a Costco? Why do you need a membership to shop there?
By the way, you should check out Pho Hoa Hiep in Chula Vista. They just opened about 3 weeks ago.
Tammy
Posted by: Tammy | Wednesday, 30 January 2008 at 09:27 PM
I just made a lunch-time run to Marukai. The membership signs are on the window, although I didn't read them. When I asked the manager-type about membership, he said it's for the future, but no membership needed today. Now, the "future" may mean February 1, but I didn't ask.
Overall, the market seemed really small compared to the Gardena store. Then again, the Gardena store had everything under one roof while San Diego is spread out among three buildings.
They had a small selection of prepared foods such as kara-age and sushi. As Green Turtle said, some of the shelves were pretty sparse right now.
It was COLD inside the store - just like one big freezer case. Hopefully it will be warmer when they officially open tomorrow.
I'll probably wait awhile before my next visit after they iron out the kinks.
Posted by: Sandy | Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 12:36 PM
Hi Tammy - Yes, there is a membership - $10/year, or $1 for a single visit. I've got make some time to check out the new PHH.
Hi Sandy - I wouldn't expect the San Diego location of Marukai to even approach the size of the Gardena location...just as I wouldn't expect San Diego's Mitsuwa Marketplace to be as large, nor have the wonderful food court that the Torrance location does. The grand opening is supposed to happen on Feb 1st...so if Marukai expects to make an impact, they should open on that day well stocked, and ready.
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 09:10 PM
Nice! I need to head there once I get back into town. I have been trying to find saimin everywhere but am usually met with a questioning look. I tried some at a local restaurant = gross. Thanks!!
Posted by: Sharon | Saturday, 02 February 2008 at 08:16 AM
I'm so happy that you guys finally decided to opened up another store, & in my area.... WOW! Well, actually it could be the same amount of drive time for me as the Lawndale store. But, close enough! I live in Murrieta & hopefully it'll be a hop,skip, & a jump! Yay!! I can hardly wait to come drive down there & shop to my "Hawaiian hearts" content. I'll still be able to us my original Marukai card, right?
Posted by: Cleo Provin | Sunday, 13 April 2008 at 01:47 PM
Hi Cleo - Yes, your Marukai card is valid at all Marukai's.
Posted by: Kirk | Sunday, 13 April 2008 at 07:51 PM
I was there the other day, and they are offering free memberships until May 31, plus 10% off the day you sign up!
Posted by: Jenne | Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 04:33 PM
Hi Jenne - Thanks for the info! It's really nice to hear from you as well.
Posted by: Kirk | Sunday, 11 May 2008 at 06:21 PM
This Marukai does indeed have a good selection of Hawaiian food...but the customer service is terrible, and I'm not sure it's worth going back.
I signed up for a card during the May membership drive Jenne mentioned, not realizing that you need to get a coupon from the Marukai store that issues a card to get the 10% off at the other stores. At the checkout, the manager of the Marukai market refused to honor the 10% discount on my $120 purchase without the coupon even though the new membership card had the issue date stamped on it...duh...and said I had to go back to the issuing store (Daiso) to get the coupon or lose the discount.
Terrible customer service...a good manager would call the other store to confirm the issuance of the card, or would have had one of his employees go check instead of making the customer check. I was very disappointed and will probably stick to Nijiya even though its selection of Hawaiian food is not as good.
Posted by: Lori | Friday, 13 June 2008 at 07:28 PM
Hi Lori - That doesn't sound like good customer service, especially since I've seen people shopping without memberships. I've never had a problem at any Marukai location. However, whenever I've had inquiries, I've gotten fairly prompt responses by email:
info@marukai.com
I still shop a lot at Nijiya, but it's always good to have a second(and third) option.
Posted by: Kirk | Friday, 13 June 2008 at 07:37 PM