Since last April, it looked like H Mart was coming to 111 Hudson — the former Jin Market, which closed in June 2022. I had it on good authority, and James Bogardus was good enough to dig into the records for our benefit and learned that in fact, the managing member of the entity that purchased the commercial space has the same last name and address as the owner of H Mart (see James’ full comment below).

H Mart told me they indeed have the space, but it “is owned and operated independently by our affiliated company, Seoul Trading.” I have called Seoul Trading many times; the man who answers the phone cannot help. (It might help to speak Korean? Anyone who does — get in touch!)

The space has been under construction since Jin Market left, first to repair the facade and then to fix the sidewalk. The big news now: B. sent these photos along of the reopened sidewalk (this is my biggest pet peeve).

AND Bec noted in comments that she saw some refrigeration units being loaded into the space about two weeks ago. Progress? “I just want to be able to get a quart of milk and a pint of Haagen Dazs on my way home from the subway,” she noted.

FROM JAMES BOGARDUS:
The managing member of HK Development:
* has the same last name as the owner of H Mart
* is listed on the deed with the same address and suite number as “Hana Mart Tribeca Corp.”
* was listed with a New York, NY address as an officer of Gmart Westminster Corporation, doing business as H Mart, 5036 West 92nd Avenue, Westminster, CO” in a 2014 Notice of Public Hearing for a retail liquor license
* is listed as a contact for “Hana Mart Columbia Corp. d/b/a
Han Ah Reum Supermarket, 2828 Broadway”
* owns a home in Englewood Cliffs with Kingston Shih, quoted as an H Mart employee in this story: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/03/20/asian-american-grocery-stores-not-short-on-supplies–just-customers
* was deposed in a 2002 federal labor lawsuit as “the daughter of defendant Kwon” and “comptroller and currently as its director of management” where one of the named defendants was
“Han Ah Reum Inc.” — The Times article states, “Mr. Kwon’s first store still stands in Woodside, with a blue awning that bears H Mart’s original name, Han Ah Reum. This is commonly translated from Korean as “an armful,” but has a poetic nuance, invoking warmth and care, as in an embrace.”