CU, the long-awaited South Korean convenience store, will finally open its first U.S. location in downtown Honolulu next Wednesday, November 12th. After hearing about their library of instant ramen and DIY drinks, we were already looking forward to it. But one look yesterday totally blew us away: CU is next level. There is nothing like it in Hawai’i.
The latest from a global giant that has 18,500 stores in South Korea and 730 stores worldwide, the chain’s first Hawaii store is at Bishop and Hotel streets in the executive center, where 88 Mart and Longs Drugs used to be. The 2,900-square-foot convenience store is filled with many of the items you’d expect: takeout, snacks, beverages, alcohol, housewares. But it goes much further. We work on the ground floor and are already planning what we will use the escalators for.
Like CU
At the back of CU is the ramyun library, an entire wall of different ramyun and packaged noodles from brands like Shin Ramyun, Ottogi, and Buldak. Pay first at the cash register and you’ll receive a cardboard bowl with a barcode that allows you to use one of the store’s Ramyun cooking stations.
Put the noodles, seasonings and ingredients into the bowl, scan their barcode into the machine, place your bowl and watch it cook. The hot water comes out while a stove at the bottom simultaneously heats the bowl; the timer is automatically adjusted based on the type of ramyun. You can also cook tteokbokki and rabokki here, and there is a microwave to heat up prepared meals.
Photo: Andrea Lee
In the middle of the shop, on an end lid, is a shelf of bags of drinks, ranging from coffee to fruit teas to ice cream, and a cooler with ice glasses below. Take both and pour the drink into the glass of ice. CU has not yet said whether it will charge for the ice cups.
Photo: Andrea Lee
The frozen fruit cups in the frozen food section are for DIY smoothies. Take one down the hall to the smoothie machine, remove the lid, pop it in, and the machine will blend your frozen fruit into a ready-to-drink smoothie.
The hot food box next to the registers contains trendy Korean street food. We recommend the chewy and crispy sausage and rice cake skewer; the sweet and savory squid cake bar; and the delicious bungeoppang (fish-shaped waffles with red bean or cream filling). The fried mandoo cups are still hot and crispy.
What is exclusive to CU Hawaii’i
Alongside Korean convenience foods like kimbap and mandoo is a new brand of local food with the teal-colored label Ho’ina. Chef Sheldon Simeon checked out recipes for Smoked ‘ahi Onigiri, Karaage Egg Chicken Onigiri, and Kim Chee Kalbi Bento, among other items. Smoked ‘ahi onigiri lives up to its name with its super smoky flavor in the generous tuna filling. The roasted coffee in the beverage aisle is from Island Vintage Hawai’i.
Many of us couldn’t resist and bought some Sig Zane x CU Hawai’i shopping bags and color-changing mugs printed with a stylish ramen noodle leaf pattern designed by Kūha’o Zane. They are all $2.99 for small (which is surprisingly long) and $4.99 for large (which can fit a toddler). Mugs are $14.99 and water bottles range from $19.99 to $24.99. The workers wear the same Sig Zane print on CU’s vibrant purple T-shirts.
what is to come
A mobile app that should launch before opening day will let you reserve items for pickup and earn points to redeem for rewards. We are told that the current product line is only the tip of the iceberg. More items are expected as soon as they are approved by the FDA. More CU stores around O’ahu are also in the works, though nothing has been confirmed about timings or locations.
CU Hawai’i officially opens at 12 noon next Wednesday, November 12. The first 100 customers in line that day will receive a free tote bag, so come early. Unfortunately, there are no validated parking options, although the Executive Center has a garage (entrance on Bishop Street).
Opening Nov. 12 at noon, then daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 1088 Bishop St., nicetocuhawaii.com, @nicetocuhawaii
SEE ALSO: 8 things you’ll only find at Don Don Donki in Kapolei
Andrea Lee is the digital publisher of HONOLULU Magazine.
