Grocery store grand openings typically draw a crowd. But when T&T Supermarket opened its first U.S. location last Thursday in the Seattle area, it welcomed wave after wave of curious shoppers who queued up in a line that stretched around the store throughout the day.
At 1:30 p.m. — five and a half hours after opening — the wait to get inside the 76,000-square-foot Asian grocery outlet was just under an hour. That’s an overwhelmingly positive sign for the brand, which has more than three dozen Canadian locations and plans to open several more on the U.S.’s West Coast. It also underscores the demand for Asian markets and culinary experiences that has lifted chains like H Mart, Jollibee and 99 Ranch Market in the U.S. in recent years.
T&T’s arrival in the U.S. also marks the arrival of Loblaw Companies, the Canadian supermarket operator that acquired T&T in 2009. In a LinkedIn post, Loblaw CEO and President Per Bank said the newly opened location “is the first of 7 stores on the west coast and if that goes well who knows.” T&T, which recently established a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, plans to open another store in Lynnwood, Washington, just north of Seattle, next year as well as its first store in California.
Inside T&T’s store in Bellevue, Washington, shoppers found a space brimming with fresh foods, unique imported products and fresh and frozen cases with ingredients for popular dishes like hot pots and fish ball soup. The foodservice department offers everything from self-serve congee to made-to-order barbecue duck and stewed beef noodle soup.
The store features products and dishes spanning numerous Asian countries, including China, Japan, South Korea and The Philippines. In the center of the store are 10 long aisles divided into two sections and covering everything from tea and carbonated drinks to seafood seasoning sauces and skin care products. In some areas, conventional brands like Coca-Cola, Quaker Oats and Ziploc are mixed in with niche and imported products, creating an environment geared toward one-stop shopping.
Here’s a closer look inside T&T Supermarket on its high-energy and greatly entertaining grand opening in the U.S.
A foodservice feast
Fried chicken, barbecue ribs, shrimp spring rolls, milk tea, Vietnamese sandwiches, steamed pork buns, turnip cakes and prawn-flavored crackers — this is just a sampling of the many dishes on display in T&T’s foodservice department, which is by far the most popular area of the store. The section was so crowded that workers roaming the area told customers to leave their shopping carts before they entered, creating a long line of trolleys along the store wall.
In the self-serve area, T&T offers dishes like pork balls, congee and fried noodles that customers can spoon or ladle into takeout containers. The section also serves up many packaged dishes that are ready-to-heat or ready-to-eat, while a made-to-order line offers barbecue combo meals, soups and T&T’s signature Papa Crispy fried chicken.
An extensive seafood selection
Situated just off the produce department, T&T’s seafood department includes a large display of live seafood. There’s eel, langoustine, cod and king crab. There’s also a self-serve tank filled with lobster. Just grab a pair of tongs and snag your pick.
Around the corner from the live tanks sits a long display of chilled fish, including whole rockfish, salmon and snapper. A nearby display case offers frozen fish and shrimp balls sold by the pound.
Meal inspiration and private label
Fresh and frozen cases located around the store’s perimeter offer meal solutions like marinated meat for barbecuing. One case offers ingredients for shoppers who want to make their own hot pot, including fish cakes and sliced beef.
Other cases showcase T&T’s unique private label selection. A case near the back of the store carries the grocer’s packaged green onion pancakes, while another near the seafood department offers a variety of bagged potstickers.
A bakery filled with sweet treats
Another bustling section of the store was the bakery department, which carries a large assortment of packaged breads, rolls, buns, cookies and more. There’s a lot to choose from on both the sweet and savory side, from dried pork seaweed rolls to Oreo cheese bread and sweet egg bread.
T&T’s bakery also has dozens of cakes on display, including ones that creatively use fruit, frosting and other ingredients to craft seasonal options like a Santa Fruit Cake.
Sampling stations throughout the store
T&T has several sampling stations positioned strategically throughout the store. A station in the produce department offers slices of Akizuki Pears, a variety from Japan that has a “naturally sweet, mild flavor with subtle floral notes,” according to a posted sign.
In the grocery aisles, a store worker handed out samples of Pocky, a popular stick-shaped Japanese cookie dipped in frosting, while a station near the foodservice department offered spicy Korean sausage.
A sake-infused alcohol department
Situated near the store entrance is T&T’s alcohol section, featuring dozens of wines, spirits and domestic as well as imported beer.
The main draw is the department’s wide variety of sakes. A large sign along the back wall discusses the different types, while shelves situated nearby feature several varieties of nigori, junmai, honjozo, ginjo and daiginjo sakes.
Housewares, personal care and toys
Food might be the main draw at T&T, but the store also features a wide selection of personal care products, housewares and even a few toys.
The skin care aisle carries dozens of products, from moisturizers to toothpaste, and has staff on hand to answer questions. The nearby housewares aisle stocks woks, knives, saucepans and other tools to help at-home chefs.
Sale pricing and loyalty signups
In keeping with the focus on value seen across the grocery industry, T&T has sale prices listed throughout the store as well as a “Weekly Sale” section located near the seafood department that offers a rotating display of deals. The sale items on Thursday included seasoned seaweed, spicy sunflower seeds and tins of Danish butter cookies.
The store also promotes its loyalty program and app, which touts rewards points, special member pricing and information about weekly specials.
