Asian and international foods grocer Enson Market has applied to the city for a Certificate of Use to operate a grocery store in a space now occupied by a Winn-Dixie supermarket in the Mandarin area.
The application follows Enson Market Jax Inc.’s registration Oct. 8 with the Florida Division of Corporations, listing the business at 11101 Old St. Augustine Road, the address for a Winn-Dixie store.
Enson Market Jax Inc. said in the city application dated Nov. 20 that it intends to open a 44,000-square-foot store at that address.
Haichao Lui is listed as the owner. State records show Lui is president of Enson Market Jax LLC and is a manager with Greenlogic LLC of Windemere.
Enson Markets are supplied by Enson Group of Cincinnati. The closest of the three Florida stores is in Gainesville.
In a statement Dec. 6, Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, did not confirm nor deny that the store will close.
“As our business and stores continue to evolve, we’re constantly evaluating business opportunities and our locations to best serve the needs of our communities,” said Meredith Hurley, Southeastern Grocers senior director of communications and community, in the statement.
“Should we make a significant business decision regarding the Winn-Dixie store located at 11101 Old St. Augustine Road, our associates will always be the first to know. The store continues to work hard to deliver the great service and value our customers have come to expect from us, and we will be sure to keep you informed of any future plans for this location.”
German discount grocer Aldi, whose U.S. headquarters are in Illinois, bought Southeastern Grocers and its Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores in March and has been converting some of them to the Aldi brand.
It said it would maintain some of the stores under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys banners.
The 11101 Old St. Augustine Road store is at northeast Interstate 295 and Old St. Augustine Road.
Miami Lakes-based Gator Investments has listed the almost 45,000-square store for lease. Gator Investments has not returned a call for comment.
Gator Old St. Augustine Jax LLC bought the property in 2018 for $3.4 million. That LLC is led by James Goldsmith, president and CEO of Gator Investments.
The Duval County Property Appraiser shows the store was built in 1994. City building records indicate it was renovated in 2008 at a cost of $937,400.
EnsonGroup.com and other websites show there are seven Enson Markets in five states – Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio and Virginia.
The Florida locations are in Gainesville, Orlando and Plantation.
Sites show five Enson Markets opening soon in four states – Florida, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas.
The Florida store opening soon is at 11750 E. Colonial Drive, a second Enson Market in Orlando. Jacksonville is not listed.
Enson Group says it is in the food service supplies and equipment industry. It says it is the parent company of Enson Cincinnati, Enson Reading, Enson Philadelphia, Enson St. Louis, Enson Seafood IN Inc., doing business as First Choice Seafood, and Enson Seafood GA Inc.
It says it provides food supplies for restaurants in the Midwest, Georgia, Florida and states on the East coast, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
Enson Group says it owns international supermarket chains ”all over the U.S.”
“We keep expanding our business in supermarkets and grocery stores, and we are establishing the fastest-growing grocery store chain in America,” it says.
Enson Market says that “from nature to organic, from Asia to America, you can find all types of products you need at our place.”
The stores carry fresh, frozen and packaged foods, meats, seafood and produce, along with other merchandise and a hot bar or food court.
The five Enson Market LLCs in Florida were registered with the state in 2020 (Orlando), 2021 (Plantation and Orlando), 2022 (Gainesville) and, for Jacksonville, 2024.
Enson Market would be the third large Asian and international foods market to open, announce or disclose plans for a Jacksonville presence.
Lotte Plaza Market, a Korean- and Asian-focused grocery store, has been approved to renovate the closed Best Buy electronics store at 9355 Atlantic Blvd. in the Regency area of Arlington at a cost of $8.99 million. The store is almost 45,800 square feet.
RD International Market opened in February 2024 in a renovated 52,600-square-foot Winn-Dixie at 7534 Beach Blvd. in the Hogan area. The Asian and seafood market, carries food, décor, housewares, fresh produce, refrigerated foods, frozen and fresh meats and fish and more than 50 live seafood tanks and a food court.