If you were looking for a way to explain the diverse demographics of the Route 1 corridor, just take someone to the New Grand Mart.
Located on University Boulevard just outside of Hyattsville proper, this grocery store offers a remarkable array of ingredients for African, Caribbean, Asian and Latin American cuisines.
On a recent visit, we spotted Ghanian yams, fresh Atlantic pompano, Guatemalan cheese and a bewildering number of options for Japanese green tea, just to name a few things.
The selection can be a bit inscrutable. The store appears to stock whatever sells and discontinue whatever doesn’twithout worrying too much about being comprehensive. There’s an entire aisle with nothing but Japanese potato chips, but you might not find something specific if you go there looking for it.
The store is popular with the immigrant population centered in that area as well as students from the increasingly international University of Maryland down the street.
To help customers who don’t have cars, it offers a free ride home to anyone who spends more than $50 in a visit. (This reportedly comes with a $1 lottery ticket, although we haven’t taken a ride, so we can’t confirm that.)
Economist Tyler Cowen recommends shopping at international grocery stores because they tend to encourage healthier eating, cost less and keep America innovative.
Even if you’ve got a favorite among the already-competitive local grocery scene along the Route 1 corridor, we recommend taking the occasional trip to New Grand Mart to spice up your pantry.
