I stopped in Wednesday to see if Charlotte's new international supermarket, Super G Mart, actually lives up to the name.
Super G Mart actually is pretty super. Super big, at 52,000 square feet. Super clean and well-lit. Super well-stocked, although there are areas of the store that are still coming together, like the bakery.
It was even super friendly, judging from the cashier and the guys in the produc
e department who tried to help me figure out the difference between the big, green jackfruit and the smaller brown durian. (They're similar, but jackfruit is sweeter and allegedly not as stinky as the famously stinky durian.)
e department who tried to help me figure out the difference between the big, green jackfruit and the smaller brown durian. (They're similar, but jackfruit is sweeter and allegedly not as stinky as the famously stinky durian.) The Greensboro-based company officially opened Monday, so they're still giving away very colorful eco-friendly shopping bags -- mine will proudly join my pile of Trader Joe's and Earth Fare bags.
The store aims for a mix of nationalities. It seems to be about equally divided, product-wise, between Asian, Mexican and American brands and foods. So you can stock up on rice noodles and find canned La Choy chow mein a few aisles over. Not that you'd want to, but still.
The store is at 7323 E. Independence Blvd., where Village Lake Drive comes into U.S. 74 across from Lebo's. Hours are
Some of what Kathleen identifies as Mexican is actually Filipino, so it is not an even split between Asian/Mexican - the store is probably 70% Asian. There are also African and European sections. I can't wait for the bakery.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification. I should have described it as Latin American, although I also saw some Caribbean foods. I didn't see the African and European sections, but it is a big store. There are lot of possibilities there.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! I've been looking for more ethnic markets to check out after moving to Charlotte!
ReplyDeleteReally super big!
ReplyDeleteWhat are the hours of Super G Mart?
ReplyDeleteVery excited to visit and look around! I've been excited about this place since I first saw the article in the CO a little while back.
ReplyDeleteChecked it out earlier this week. Amazing store. GREAT prices and selection. Weird, no avocados? Have to pick those up at Compare. Also yucky peaches from Cali. Have to get those at the Hillbilly. Everything else: GOLD.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends said, finally we can kiss New Centuary goodbye. I agree completly. It is an amazing store, lots of varieties.
ReplyDeleteI saw avocadoes when I was there, Illicitizen. But with all the Fourth of July parties coming up, there may be a run on guacamole makings.
ReplyDeletefeel sorry for the smaller stores. they shut down half the stores in greensboro. Grand asia from raleigh is coming to charlotte to compete.true asian market not claiming international when all i see is asian and mexican. in Greensboro started simlilar but stwitched to mostly mexicans. they gonna do that to you(charlotte) as well. whatever makes them money. i know people want the lower prices but is it worth the cost of multiple family businesses? they cant do what walmartdoes(keep lowerst prices) gmart will make up the difference in lower cost items. just be careful. they do have cheap produce and meat.
ReplyDeleteKeeping supporting your local markets, dont let G mart tear them down. Theyre gonna step their game up, they have to now. Give them the effort. G mart just raised their prices in greensboro. Changes everything they stood for when they opened. Grand asian just opened in stallings. Theyre the best chinese owned market in raleigh. They probably opened a location in charlotte so g mart doesnt come to raleigh. This is war!! Dont fall victim to cheap prices. hence our economy and outsourcing. SUPPORT YOUR EXISTING LOCAL!!!
ReplyDeleteI work at Super G Mart ... we're not trying to tear down the local marts ... we just have great deals from the warehouse that's all. we didn't raise the price because some of the store closed down, we reaised the price because the ware house raises the price. we try to keep our margin from 25%~33%.
ReplyDeleteI have to check this store out...any Caribbean products? Important Jamaica and like to have my ginger beer when shopping and have an Asian dish on the way out! Lol..makes me feel like im in another world.
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