Shoppers will soon be able to soak in the spirit of washoku, the tradition of Japanese cuisine, thanks to a brand-new premium grocery store set to open in West Vancouver this winter.
Aburi Market is the next venture for the Vancouver-based Aburi Restaurants (Miku, Minami, Gyoza Bar), which successfully launched its pair of in-restaurant grocery stores, called Aburi To-Go, earlier this year. Now the company has bigger plans for an even more expansive and dedicated store concept.
“Aburi Market is going to be a new kind of grocery experience,” explains Seigo Nakamura, Founder and CEO of Aburi Restaurants Canada in a media release.
Nakamura says the new marketplace will be “where people can visit, browse, and learn how to enjoy unique Japanese delicacies they may not already be familiar with."
Aburi Market will be set up with specialty food counters, a seafood section, assorted tableware, and an array of exclusive goods imported from Japan. Customers can expect to find things like fresh sushi, made-to-order bowls, a sliced-to-order wagyu station, and an exclusive patisserie, alongside grab-and-go and heat-and-serve items like at the Aburi To-Go shop in Yaletown.
Non-edible items range from everyday bowls and cutlery to premium, artisan Arita-yaki Japanese porcelain dishware. Plus, Aburi Market has also commissioned renowned Kyoto-based artist and visionary Hideki Kimura to create a line of home products.
The new marketplace will be located at 1350 Marine Drive, in what had previously been an outpost of the Vancouver-based Meinhardt Fine Foods high-end grocery store. It's an exciting time for changes on the block; just a few doors down, the onetime Heirloom vegetarian restaurant is set to become another OEB Breakfast location.
Follow @aburimarket on Instagram for more updates.
