PHOTOS: Hong Phat opens 4th Portland store at former Walmart on SE 82nd
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The former Walmart in Portland's Eastport Plaza is now the location of a new Hong Phat Supercenter grocery store.
Co-owners Brandon Wang and Hoang Nguyen held a grand opening on Friday morning that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a Lion Dance and live music and entertainment for the location near Southeast 82nd Avenue and Southeast Holgate Boulevard.
“As far as jobs are concerned, we’ve been able to hire about 200 people so far," Wang told KOIN 6 News. "And we’re going to have a big restaurant. Actually, two of them, right over there. And they will hire another 100-something people once they open.”
The celebrations are slated to continue with a banquet at 7 p.m. at H.K. Cafe, a dim sum restaurant that's also located at the Eastport Plaza.
The Hong Phat store at the former Walmart marks the grocery chain's fourth location in Portland. The chain is known for specializing in food from all over Asia, including a full deli.
Hong Phat bought the space in January and has spent the past seven months renovating it.
The Walmart that previously occupied the building closed down more than a year ago. Both the Eastport Plaza Walmart and the Walmart in North Portland's Hayden Meadows shut their doors in March 2023, marking the nationwide chain's exit from the Rose City entirely.