Korean residents in San Antonio usually shop at two Korean markets or, if not, they make do with HEB, Costco, and Sam's Club.

At H.E.B., you can find kimchi and Shin Ramyeon, and you can buy rice in bulk at Costco, while side dishes can be made at home.

If that's not enough, many have traveled to Austin to stock up at H Mart and 99 Ranch, and that's how everyone has been living.

However, news has come that a Pan-Asia Supermarket will be opening here.

The investment is $1.7 million, and it will be located in the Colonies North Shopping Center.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), construction is set to begin this summer and be completed by December of this year, converting three existing store spaces into one.

The official opening is scheduled for spring 2027, making it the eighth store in the Pan-Asia chain.

According to the company, they chose this location because San Antonio has a diverse community and the demand for international foods is continuously increasing.

Once it opens, it will become the largest Asian market in the area, offering the widest selection of Asian and international foods.

I wasn't familiar with Pan-Asia Supermarket, but it turns out to be an Asian market as the name suggests.

According to their website, they carry products from various countries including China, Vietnam, Singapore, and India.

This means they do not only sell Korean foods. Asian markets like this are a familiar model in Texas.

For those who have visited Chinese markets in Houston or Austin, you know that there are separate sections for fish and meat, live fish are available, and the variety of vegetables is often greater than at Korean markets. You can usually find napa cabbage, radishes, and chives.

However, the produce may not be prepared in the Korean style, and the varieties of green onions or napa cabbage might be a bit different, which can make you hesitate to buy.

So it's best to keep your expectations realistic. The Korean food section in a Pan-Asian market typically takes up one or two aisles.

You can find plenty of ramen, gochujang, doenjang, seaweed, and frozen dumplings, but it's hard to expect a wide selection of side dishes or ready-to-eat items, or new domestic brand products.

If you expect to find the same experience as shopping at H Mart, you might be disappointed.

On the other hand, prices are often better than at Korean markets, and the freshness of vegetables and seafood tends to be advantageous. You can think of it as a different type of store.

So will this lead to H Mart coming in, or is this the end of it?

Talk of H Mart has been around for a while. Residents of San Antonio have expressed hopes that the two H Marts in Austin would expand to this area, and when MySA, a local media outlet, checked with the company, they said they have received a lot of inquiries but no confirmed news about opening.

It's a vague response, neither a clear rejection nor a promise.

Honestly, both sides have their reasons. For H Mart to come in, the Korean population needs to support it, but the Korean community in San Antonio is relatively small compared to its population size.

The main groups are military families near Randolph and Lackland bases, medical and IT workers, and retirees who have moved down.

Since it only takes about an hour and a half to drive to the Austin location, from a business perspective, there's little incentive to open another store nearby.

If Pan-Asia establishes itself first, it could delay their entry even further.

On the flip side, if an Asian market opens and proves to be successful, that itself becomes market data.

San Antonio's population is still growing, and the percentage of Asian residents is also on the rise.

It's common in retail for competitors to enter the market after another has paved the way.

In summary, by spring 2027, it should be much easier to shop for side dishes.

And how well this store does will influence how H Mart views San Antonio in the future.

Ultimately, it depends on how much we go there to shop.