LYNNWOOD — Popular Canadian supermarket chain T&T, which specializes in Asian food, will open its second U.S. location in Lynnwood on Nov. 13.
The new location will open at 9 a.m. at 19630 Highway 99 at the Lynnwood Crossroads Shopping Center. The site used to house a Sprouts supermarket.
The opening ceremony will feature a traditional Chinese lion dance as well as a $10 gift card for the first 300 shoppers, according to a press release. Shoppers can also receive a coupon for $10 off during the grand opening, with the purchase of $68 or more from the store.
T&T has quickly developed a strong Washington following since opening its first location in Bellevue in December.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, it was hard to find a space in the Bellevue store’s parking lot. More than 5oo shoppers milled around the supermarket, and checkout counters had dozens in line — even the self-serve counters.
The store’s aisles are stocked with items, including a wide variety of rice and noodles. Mixed in were plenty of American choices, such as Cheetos, Pop-Tarts and Coca-Cola.
Specialty food areas are also part of the store, such as a carving counter for Chinese barbecue, a sushi chef cutting fresh sushi, a crepe station, an area for made-to-order Asian specialities and a large bakery with dozens of cakes and pastry items.
Several sitting areas allowed customers to eat T&T’s food on the premises, but it was hard to find a seat.
T&T has built a strong following among Generation X customers, who tend to be open to culturally diverse types of foods, said Lisa Hutcheson, a retail strategist with consulting firm J.C. Williams Group in Toronto.
At the same time, she said, it has also expanded its food offerings in recent years, offering something for everyone, including plenty of products found in more traditional North American supermarkets.
“So it certainly gives them that edge to capture more customers,” Hutcheson said.
She said while it’s common for U.S. chains to expand to Canada, it’s more unique for Canadian chains to do the reverse. But Hutcheson said the company CEO clearly saw an opportunity.
In a statement back in 2023, T&T CEO Tina Lee explained why the store was opening its first U.S. location in the state of Washington.
“We know the love for T&T transcends borders,” she said. “It’s not unusual to see U.S. license plates in the parking lots of our British Columbia stores, with hundreds of customers regularly making the drive for our food.”
At 30,000 square feet, the Lynnwood store will be much smaller than the Bellevue location, which covers 76,000 square feet.
The press release said the Lynnwood store will feature several exclusive food items, including the Baby Bear Bao with braised pork belly, the Sesame Mochi Rice Ball and specialty beverages from an in-house kitchen.
Lee announced the Lynnwood location back in June 2024, months before the Bellevue store opened.
“We never stopped looking at locations in Washington after the announcement of our flagship store in Bellevue,” Lee said in a statement at the time. “There’s excellent growth potential here, and although we originally planned on only committing to a second location after Bellevue opens, we just couldn’t resist this opportunity. It’s a great location in a former grocery box – at 30,000 square feet, it’s a fitting size for Lynnwood.”
T&T is owned by Canadian conglomerate Loblaw Companies, which specializes in supermarkets and drugstores. It was founded in Vancouver in 1993 by Jack and Cindy Lee. Cindy Lee’s eldest daughter, Tina Lee, took over as CEO in 2014. The company is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, a city in the Vancouver metropolitan area.
The chain plans to continue its U.S. expansion into California in 2026 after the Lynnwood store opens.
T&T has more than 35 stores in Canada.
Randy Diamond: 425-339-3097; randy.diamond@heraldnet.com
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