Welcome to mmm-yoso!!!, the food blog. Kirk is vacationing-following plans, ed(from Yuma) is planning for a vacation and Cathy is writing today about something unplanned.
Yesterday I was talking with a friend I hadn't seen in a year. We were (of course) talking about food and somehow the conversation went to the new Zion Market, which she told me was going to open today. Finally!!! (Kirk wrote about Zion Market in 2005 and again when announcing it would be moving (look at the date when he knew it would be moving). (Zion is a Korean Market, in case you didn't know)(I've posted about the 'food court' area inside the old Zion).
I hadn't planned on the market ever opening, and had a major assignment Friday morning, but managed to make it here in the afternoon. Located inside the old Kmart/Sears building on Clairmont Mesa at Convoy, the parking lot is able to handle the crowds.
To the left when you walk in - the grocery aisles.
A refrigerated wall runs along the front...
Items for sale are the usual suspects. Quite a few sale items are located interspersed in the store (not necessarily on the end caps).
as well as a really large refrigerator of panchan...
Sort of near the center back of the store is an 'island' area that looks like it will have ovens going all the time.
for now, the surrounding counters are holding the pre-cooked grab and go items.
There is so much extra space and a greater selection. This Zion has 12 cash registers. The overhead lighting is all LED, not florescent (probably what took a bit of time in getting this space ready).
This is the view from the cash registers to the 'other side' - the storefront area of the building...see all the storefronts to the left? I cound eight.
The old Zion was the first ethnic market I located when I moved to SD in 1997, on the same trip that I discovered Convoy.
And my life was never the same.
Posted by: Ed (from Yuma) | Friday, 24 May 2013 at 08:05 PM
Omg! It's open now?! Thanks for the post! Is it better than Hmart? I bet it'll be madness there this weekend !!
Posted by: Faye | Friday, 24 May 2013 at 08:56 PM
I didn't know that Zion was opening today! I drove by and saw lots of cars in the parking lot, but didn't have time to check it out. From your photos, it looks like it's not quite soup yet, but I can't wait till the other shops and restaurants are open.
Posted by: Sandy | Friday, 24 May 2013 at 10:01 PM
Thanks! I love this breaking news! Well, I'm going to avoid going here this weekend for sure and wait til things settle down. I'm looking forward to checking it out soon!
Posted by: caninecologne | Friday, 24 May 2013 at 11:05 PM
I did not know that, Ed. What a nice memory. Zion has been a regular grocer for us for many years.
Zion is still different than HMart, Faye. Each has great Korean selections and wonderful produce selections and really good prices. I could shop at either. Once Zion gets all the secondary spaces filled, though, it will probably be a bit 'more interesting' of a place to shop.
I would not have know either, Sandy, it just came up in conversation. Zion has been moving for more than a year and I had given up waiting and continued to shop there once a week. Yes, the other shops aren't ready, but just having space in the aisles and in the produce area is so nice.
You'll like it, cc. I'm thinking this is the weekend to hit HMart; it will (maybe) have smaller crowds.
Posted by: Cathy | Saturday, 25 May 2013 at 05:07 AM
Thanks for the very detailed preview! I'm curious as how it compares to Ranch 99 which is my main source of meat, produce, and Chinese sauces.
Posted by: Soo | Sunday, 26 May 2013 at 08:27 AM
I've always shopped at both, Soo, usually on alternating weeks. The now larger Zion may keep me there longer, especially after the other shops open, but I'll still shop at 99Ranch. Although maybe I'll be checking the online sale ads a bit more regularly.
Posted by: Cathy | Sunday, 26 May 2013 at 09:26 AM
Soo-as an update, we went to 99Ranch and there was plenty of parking -at noon- on a Sunday (!!!) I now remember Zion had a very nice parking situation when HMart first opened. So, if you want to avoid crowds until the hustle and bustle dies down, shopping at 99 will be nice.
Posted by: Cathy | Sunday, 26 May 2013 at 01:26 PM
Just my luck the new Zion location would open right after we moved away from San Diego!
Posted by: MrZ | Sunday, 26 May 2013 at 07:25 PM
Thanks for the tip! I usually go in the morning or at night.
Posted by: Soo | Monday, 27 May 2013 at 08:47 AM
It's the same as the old location, MrZ; just with a tremendous parking lot, wider aisles and no inventory storage on the top shelves or blocking the aisles. I really gave up thinking it would ever open after about June of last year...
We usually shop in the early morning, too, Soo. I went to 99Ranch in the evening one time (thinking it was a weekend) and the crowds were insane...
Posted by: Cathy | Monday, 27 May 2013 at 09:20 AM
I visited Ranch 99 yesterday at 4pm and it was weird. I was able to park near the front. There was a guy at the meat counter waiting to help me. There was a cashier waiting to check me out.
Posted by: Soo | Wednesday, 29 May 2013 at 12:16 PM
You didn't know this, Soo, but I check the blog comments on my iPhone, trying to catch spam quickly. It's difficult for me to write a comment back via the phone. Just know I really did LOL each time I read this comment this afternoon...enjoy these quiet times at 99...
Posted by: Cathy | Wednesday, 29 May 2013 at 06:39 PM
I guess when the good times end I'll try Zion. Till then I'm going to enjoy feeling special and not part of the unwashed masses. :-)
Posted by: Soo | Thursday, 30 May 2013 at 12:27 PM
It was the same when HMart opened, Soo; the Zion people were so nice to us. FYI: Nobody goes grocery shopping the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve at Costco has every register open and most people are finished shopping, so easy checkout. Ha- unwashed masses!
Posted by: Cathy | Thursday, 30 May 2013 at 08:10 PM