Hi-Mart

To help Unilocalers understand…
CHICAGO FOOD CORP — is the parent company of Hi-​Mart and Joong Boo.
HI-​MART *5800 N. Pulaski* is retail Korean housewares (cooking, restaurant, bedding). There is virtually no food at this location. This is a huge well-​lit warehouse. You have to keep your eyes open because this is set far back from the road. The driveway runs between a cemetary and another unrelated restaurant supplier.
JOONG BOO MARKET *3333 N. Kimball* is the Korean grocery that also sells some of the same housewares found at Hi-​Mart.
HI-​MART (Chicago Food Corp) and H-​Mart (Hanahreum Group) are two completely separate companies. Don’t confuse them.
When you arrive at Hi-​Mart, do not be surprised if no one greets you. There is a handful of employees and they are all busy working. On the rare occasion that there is a cashier at the register, they will greet you. Also, do not be surprised that no one will approach you or bother you while you shop. They are NOT being rude, it is just how it is there. Customers that come here are here with a purpose – restaurant owners and Koreans buying stuff for their own homes – they know what they need and where to find it.
What Hi-​Mart offers: lots, and lots, and lots of Korean stuff for the kitchen and restaurants! Chopsticks, long-​handled soup spoons, cooking utensils, ceramic-​dinnerware, melamin-​dinnerware, earthenware soup bowls, pots and pans, rice cookers, steamers, colanders, tupperware, glass-​storage-​ware, lots of trinkets, a few clothes, bed matts and pads for the floor, pillows, comforters, a bit of health-​beauty stuff, etc., etc., etc.
We go to Hi-​Mart two to four times a year. We have purchased our banchan dishes, earthenware soup bowls, steamer pot, woks, rice bowls, utensils, and the traditional Korean wedding ducks. I even bought the best pair of houseshoes here – so spongy and comfortable – about $ 5.
The prices here are a tad bit expensive, but when they have sales or clearances, you can save 30%. They usually offer a discount when you buy in bulk… like an entire dinnerset, or a dozen or more of the same product. If you are not Korean (like myself), knowing basic Korean pleasantries goes a long way… Be polite. Bow your head slightly as you say hello (annyeong haseyo). Thank you (gamsahamnida). They enjoy when westerns take interest in Korean culture.
If you are in the area and curious, I recommend stopping by, there is a lot to see.
Also, any purchases here count toward your Joong Boo points, so make sure you provide your account/​phone number.

Ughhhh. I hate the service there. It’s horrible. The cashier and the employees are so rude and mean. I can’t believe I actually bought something from there. I feel extremely mad and horrible right now. The prices are much more expensive than other places. Plus, they don’t accept the prices that were tagged; they get higher prices than it’s tagged.

UGH. UGH. UGH!!! A friend of mine had told us about getting food at «Chicago Food Corporation» and so we trekked all the way down there just yesterday. With salivating mouths eagerly awaiting all the korean food goodies we had heard about, we arrived at a warehouse, far removed from the street entrance, and next to a cemetary. I thought I was going to die. Little did we know Chicago Food Corp is no longer?! Is this true or is that an old review (we went on a Sunday, so I thought it might have been just closed for the day)?
When we got there, a car had pulled into the Hi-​Mart side so we followed suit. We walked in and there was a bunch of kitchen and misc supplies, rice cookers, etc. spread out over two rooms. We didn’t buy any supplies, but I guess this is a good place to get them. There were several workers there, but only one had asked if we needed help (right before we left).

I don’t cook Korean food, so I can’t comment really on the grocery provisions. HOWEVER, their kitchen supplies were exactly what I needed.
Admittedly, all I needed was chopsticks and some servingware, but the price was right, and I was intrigued by the kitchen gadgets I want (rice-​cooker, woks, etc.).
If you need anything Korean for the kitchen, I suggest a trip. Don’t worry, it’s not empty. It’s set back pretty far, and looks like a warehouse. And it’s next to a graveyard, not really helping the «abandoned warehouse horror-​movie set» feel… but once you get inside all is well and the staff is very friendly.
I’m going back!

This Korean kitchen supply store is somewhat of a hidden gem, tucked away on Pulaski next to a *gasp* cemetery. Fortunately, there’s a neon sign outside proudly flashing «Hi-​Mart OPEN» for those new to the store.
I stopped by here on Sunday and checked out some of the goods.
A few items I saw:
–Rice cookers
–Bamboo steamers
–Cutting boards (I saw a bamboo cutting board for $ 10)
–Tea sets
–Bento boxes
–Chopsticks, soup spoons, bowls, plates, cups
–Sake sets
–Cast iron pans, woks
–Knives
And a whole lot more. Many of the items were marked 20% — 50% off, too. For those who remember, there used to be a Chicago Food location here, but it had burned down a few years ago. They haven’t rebuilt the food store, unfortunately, but Hi-​Mart remains open. If you’re looking to expand your Asian kitchen supplies, check this place out.