Hashi Market opened its first West Coast store in Cupertino on Friday, drawing hundreds of shoppers to a former Sprouts Market site at Crossroads Center. The New York-based chain moved into a 20,000-square-foot space at Stevens Creek Boulevard and South De Anza Boulevard, turning a vacant storefront into a busy opening-day destination.
The crowd lined up early for the grand opening, which featured a Yosakoi dance performance, a tuna-cutting demonstration and weekend deals. Inside, shoppers found ready-to-eat seafood trays, name-brand ramen noodles and fresh veggies, while others walked out with bento boxes, fruit-shaped ice cream and packaged meats. Yvonne Liu waited in line since 8 a.m. and said she would definitely be back.
The opening matters because it gives Cupertino a new Asian market option and gives Hashi Market its first foothold on the West Coast. Justin Li said the choice was natural because customers here are knowledgeable, curious and increasingly interested in products with a clear sense of origin, and he said the store’s seafood comes directly from Japan while its beef comes directly from Hokkaido.
That pitch will be tested quickly. Cupertino already has other Asian markets nearby, including T&T in San Jose and Ranch 99 just a mile away, and May Chen said she came to support another Asian market in the area but was not sure how Hashi would stand apart. She said there are a lot of other markets and that more competition may mean better prices, which is useful for shoppers but also raises the question of what will make this chain more than another option in a crowded field.
For now, the opening gives the chain a visible start in a market where it is still proving itself. Ann Caunt, who came from Grass Valley to visit her son, said there is nothing like this in her hometown and that she would otherwise have to drive all the way to Sacramento. Hashi Market is described as a cross between a supermarket and a mini department store, and Friday’s turnout suggested Cupertino was ready to see whether that mix can hold up once the opening-weekend noise fades.
