DALLAS — The Dallas City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution to approve a grant and tax incentives totaling $3.5 million to build an H Mart supermarket in the city’s northwest area that’s now officially known as Koreatown.
The Koreatown location is set to utilize a vacant 7.6-acre site and 143,200-square-foot building at 2534 Royal Lane. It was built in 1966 and is a short walk from the Royal Lane Dart train station. The store is expected to open in the summer of 2026.
H Mart is the largest U.S.-based supermarket chain specializing in Asian groceries and housewares with more than 97 stores in 14 states including six in Texas, according to H Mart’s website. It already has local stores in Plano and Carrollton.
The area had been unofficially known as Koreatown, but got its official designation in May after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation into law.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Omar Narvaez, who represents the district which includes Koreatown, was a supporter of the proposal and expressed appreciation for the resolution's passage.
"H Mart is not just a grocery store ... H Mart is an experience," Narvaez said. "They have other stores inside of H Mart, not just the grocery. They typically have banks, shoe stores, hair salons, gadget stores, boba tea ... you name it, they got it inside of their stores."
Narvaez called this Koreatown H Mart location unique since it is in the shopping center in the heart of the area. He added that second floor will be built onto the existing property to use as office space.
Narvaez said the office of economic development has been working with H Mart on the project for more than seven years. H Mart and the City agreed in the resolution to have at least 40% of its staff will be made up of Dallas residents.
"I'm very excited to welcome H Mart to the city of Dallas," Narvaez said. "This means that folks who want to shop at H Mart that live south of Royal Lane will no longer have to drive all the way to Richardson or all the way to Allen in order to buy their groceries. They'll be able to stay here in the city of Dallas."
Narvaez closed by saying annyeong haseyo, which means "hello" in Korean, to the H Mart company.
Dallas City Council passed the resolution unanimously.
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