Woori: Another Korean Supermarket To Open in Tustin Where Freshia Failed

​Will the third time be the charm? Those who live and shop in Tustin know that the supermarket space on Redhill and Walnut has changed hands more than a library book.

Up until a few months ago, it was Freshia, a Korean supermarket. Before that it was called HK Market, the Korean market that preceded it. And now, there will be yet a new Korean grocer called Woori that will try its hand for its first OC location. A big sign announcing its plans to move in has been plastered on the front of the building.


Woori, which has locations in Little Tokyo and Cerritos, will enter a soon-to-be crowded Korean supermarket, er, market in the Irvine/Tustin area. Woori has to worry (sorry, couldn't help it) about H-Mart at Irvine's Diamond Jamboree; Zion in the Northpark section of Irvine; and also Assi, which will take the place of Stein Mart when it moves out of Irvine's Woodbridge neighborhood.

Along with wishing it lots of luck, I hope for three things when Woori comes:

1. That it brings back Samsoonyi, the independent bakery that did business inside Freshia.
2. That it offers competitively priced and fresh produce like Freshia did before it started to slip.
3. That it invites back Koo's Catering Truck and its hotteok.