Lotte Market opens in Ravensworth Shopping Center
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| Shoppers enjoyed a variety of samples cooked in the store on opening day. |
Shoppers at the new Lotte Plaza Market at the renovated Ravensworth
Shopping Center found a wide selection of exotic fruits, vegetables, and seafood
– and lots of free samples – on the Asian grocery store’s opening day Dec. 19.
Shopping Center found a wide selection of exotic fruits, vegetables, and seafood
– and lots of free samples – on the Asian grocery store’s opening day Dec. 19.
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| The Ravensworth Plaza parking lot was full on Lotte’s first day. |
The new store replaces a Safeway, which lost its lease when
the owner of the shopping center embarked on a makeover project. The
renovation was completed last summer.
the owner of the shopping center embarked on a makeover project. The
renovation was completed last summer.
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| If you need lemongrass for a recipe, you’ll find it here (second from right). |
It’s the 11th Lotte store in the local grocery chain, which was founded
in Maryland in 1976. There are four others in Virginia – in Fairfax, Chantilly,
Ashburn, and Centreville. The Lotte website identifies the new store as the
Annandale Lotte, although the postal address lists it as Springfield.
in Maryland in 1976. There are four others in Virginia – in Fairfax, Chantilly,
Ashburn, and Centreville. The Lotte website identifies the new store as the
Annandale Lotte, although the postal address lists it as Springfield.
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| A belt fish, on sale for $2.99 a pound, reduced from $3.99. |
Although the company was founded by Korean Americans and
has a wide selection of Korean items, the stores have since branched out to
serve a broader array of ethnic groups in Northern Virginia.
has a wide selection of Korean items, the stores have since branched out to
serve a broader array of ethnic groups in Northern Virginia.
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| Indian bitter melon, in the middle. |
“We have a bigger selection of produce, fresh seafood, and
meat and lower prices than Giant or
Safeway,” said Alvin Lee, the president of Lotte Plaza Market, at the new
store. As examples, he cited dragon fruit, live crawfish, Chilean sea bass,
and black tiger shrimp. Live lobster is just $5.99 a pound, he said, and fresh
salmon is $4.99. He also noted the store
has items geared to Latino, African, and Middle Eastern communities, and that a quarter of his customers are non-ethnic Americans.
meat and lower prices than Giant or
Safeway,” said Alvin Lee, the president of Lotte Plaza Market, at the new
store. As examples, he cited dragon fruit, live crawfish, Chilean sea bass,
and black tiger shrimp. Live lobster is just $5.99 a pound, he said, and fresh
salmon is $4.99. He also noted the store
has items geared to Latino, African, and Middle Eastern communities, and that a quarter of his customers are non-ethnic Americans.
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| There’s a large variety of fish, including snapper and striped bass. |
The Annandale Lotte Plaza is running a contest for shoppers at
its Annandale store through the end of the year, with prizes including $2,000 and
10 40-inch LED Samsung TVs. To enter, customers are asked to
write their contact information on their receipts. The winners will be selected
on Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.
its Annandale store through the end of the year, with prizes including $2,000 and
10 40-inch LED Samsung TVs. To enter, customers are asked to
write their contact information on their receipts. The winners will be selected
on Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.
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| Some of the fish are sill alive. |
The Annandale store sells cookware, paper products, cleaning
supplies, and cosmetics, as well as groceries. It has a ready-to-eat market but doesn’t have a bakery or
pharmacy.
supplies, and cosmetics, as well as groceries. It has a ready-to-eat market but doesn’t have a bakery or
pharmacy.
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| Asian specialties can be purchased and eaten in the store. |
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| Chickpeas and lentils from India. |
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| Middle Eastern dairy products. |
6 responses to “Lotte Market opens in Ravensworth Shopping Center”
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Went there on opening day with the fam, really a nice place. Looking forward to shopping there as an alternative to Giant/Teeter. The produce is mind boggling.
Typo in the picture description, it is Indian bitter mellon (kerala). Bitter mellon is rather tasty, cook it with some tomatoes to cut the bitterness.
Thanks. Fixed it. Would love to try it.
This is fantastic. I love the Asian Market in Eden Center and now I have another. Excellent produce and fair prices.
Excellent, I will be sure to check it out. The Annandale HMart parking lot is a little tough to deal with, it will be nice to have an alternative. Thanks for covering this!
The H Mart lot is a dream compared to the Lotte lot. But Lotte Market is 10X bigger and worth a bit of a walk from the car.