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A new supermarket specializing in Korean food is planned to set up shop on the long-vacant corner of a south Edmonton development, and its arrival could mean a boost in foot traffic for neighbouring businesses.

H-Mart confirmed to Global News that it plans to open a store in South Park Centre early next year, located between Calgary Trail and Gateway Blvd. north of 34 Avenue.

Spokesperson Tae Kim said Edmonton is a “very interesting market” with strong demand for its products from the city’s Korean community.

Whole Foods was originally set to fill the 42,000-square-foot space in the fall of 2016, but the American natural and organics food chain officially cancelled those plans in January 2017.

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The location was previously a Canadian Tire for many years, however it closed when a giant, two-story location opened a few blocks away in South Edmonton Common.

An H-Mart store in Vancouver. Courtesy: H-Mart Vancouver

Petland, located a few doors down, expects an increase in customer foot traffic with H-Mart’s opening, store manager Amanda Annas told Global News on Friday.

“With H-Mart moving in, it’s a great way to help grow the community and the development,” Annas said. “It helps bring foot traffic into our store and helps grow our business so anything that will help do that, we’re pleased to have it happen.” Tweet This

H-Mart has stores across the United States as well as in Toronto and the Vancouver area. The company said this is their first Edmonton location, and it eventually plans to open more stores in the city.

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