563159 Tue Oct 07 19:43:37 -0700 2008 49 6 Southwest 0 4089547 A friend called me recently saying she'd just seen a sign that said a new LeeLee Market was coming soon in Tucson. I don't remember where she said she was caling from (she was in the car coming home), but I remember it was on the way far northwest side. Does anybody know where that is, and when they'll open? Tue Oct 07 19:43:37 -0700 2008 105625 EWSflash 1 4089774 The Tucson Lee Lee Oriental market will be at La Cholla Plaza at La Cholla Boulevard and Orange Grove Road. The location used to have a Food-4-Less. I believe the target date is Winter 2009. Tue Oct 07 22:01:45 -0700 2008 4089547 11583 ipsedixit 2 4091379 Is this the same outfit that's located at Dobson and ? in Chandler. The one with the amazing Asian sandwiches. Wed Oct 08 13:55:26 -0700 2008 4089774 12272 lawyerbriefs 3 4091934 No that's Lee's Sandwiches. Lee Lee's is an Asian supermarket. Wed Oct 08 17:25:00 -0700 2008 4091379 95577 yamalam 4 4092228 Yeah, but you know, if you buy the right ingredients at Lee Lee you could make yourself a pretty darn good sandwich, including a banh mi ... Wed Oct 08 19:59:36 -0700 2008 4091934 11583 ipsedixit 3 4378728 Lee Lee's market is actually right across the road from Lee's sandwiches on Dobson and Chandler. Sun Feb 01 17:50:24 -0800 2009 4091379 53487 werewolf 2 4093729 Yes, I passed the location last week and saw it under construction. Winter '09 could be as early as January. I think it's great that LL is coming here. I hope it's comparable to the giant one in Mesa. I remember LL when it was just a small store on Dobson and Southern. Thu Oct 09 12:19:39 -0700 2008 4089774 53487 werewolf 1 4278424 YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! Sun Dec 28 16:50:24 -0800 2008 4089547 105625 EWSflash 1 4378736 Stopped by the proposed Lee Lee site on Orange Grove in Tucson today. It looks the same as it did months ago with the same "opening soon" banner hanging over what appears to be a dormant boarded up supermarket. Sun Feb 01 17:54:01 -0800 2009 4089547 53487 werewolf 2 4380815 Darn- I hope they haven't shelved their plans due to the economy. Mon Feb 02 12:22:23 -0800 2009 4378736 105625 EWSflash 3 4388578 I saw the inside today. It's gutted and they were doing some industrial sized exterminating. If it's ever going to open, which I doubt, it won't be soon. Meanwhile, have you tried Grantstone Market? It's improved and it's quite a large sized Asian market now. They have stuff that even the giant Lee Lee's in Mesa doesn't. Wed Feb 04 18:32:22 -0800 2009 4380815 53487 werewolf 1 4391215 This will be great! I've used G&L Imports on 22nd east of swan for 30 years. Have to check out GrantStone, was there about 10 years ago, not too impressed. 17th St. farmers market is OK. Anyone been to Uwajimaya in Seattle? Now there's the benchmark. Anyhow, welcome Lee Lee to the Old Pueblo! Thu Feb 05 14:52:00 -0800 2009 4089547 140140 mrbigshotno.1 2 4393784 I go to G&L sometimes, too. I didn't know it was there that long, but then it is a very old fashioned looking place. Grantstone is too. And 17th St is the third Asian market that I know about here, and that's about it. None of them are even remotely in the same league when it comes to fresh foods - meats, fish, vegetables, etc. - as Lee Lee's - or the 99 Ranch Market (not sure if it's still called that) up in Phoenix. Never been to that place in Seattle. The mecca of Asian markets for me is Orange County, CA, restaurants, too. Fri Feb 06 12:12:19 -0800 2009 4391215 53487 werewolf 3 4394920 I couldn't agree more about the variety and prices at Lee Lee. I do love Grantstone market, as they carry my favorite canned oolong and green teas by the case cheaper than anybody in town, They're a big step up from the first time I went there about ten or fifteen years ago- I turned around at the door and left. Glad they've come around. G&L is close to my home and is the place that caused me to fall in love with Asian market lurking. I've lurked in most of them since then, Kimpo market is very close to my house, and I like those folks. Moan's is a little creepy but they have stuff nobody else does and they seem to be able to get around Customs somehow. Fri Feb 06 18:44:59 -0800 2009 4393784 105625 EWSflash 2 4396863 I've been to Uwajiaya, mrbig. It's terrific. If you can dream it, they have it on their shelves! Sat Feb 07 16:34:50 -0800 2009 4391215 67600 firecracker 3 4418061 Is Uwaj. bigger than Lee Lee in Mesa? Orange Cty. CA has one giant Asian market after another - and the fresh fruits and vegetables and seafood are awesome. Just stopped by G & L yesterday. Interesting place. They have a lot of stuff, all crowded together, a lot like Grantstone. I never heard of Kimpo and Moans. And here's the latest inside poop on Lee Lee Tucson: It's scheduled to open in June. Sat Feb 14 17:33:05 -0800 2009 4396863 53487 werewolf 4 4418539 Uwajiaya is about the size of Mitsuwa in Torrance. Same general layout as well. Sun Feb 15 00:22:07 -0800 2009 4418061 11583 ipsedixit 4 4441154 Cool! How did you find that out, if I may be so bold as to ask? Kimpo = 1 block east of craycroft on 5th Street Moan's = near the south end of the strip mall on the southwest corner of Craycroft and 29th. There are a couple of other Asian markets right close by oan's, too. Sun Feb 22 08:52:29 -0800 2009 4418061 105625 EWSflash 5 4478189 Here's the latest poop straight from Mr Lee himself: The Tucson Lee Lee is scheduled to open up around June and it will be the same size and layout as the giant one in Mesa, and it will include a restaurant. Thu Mar 05 19:33:45 -0800 2009 4441154 53487 werewolf 6 4478771 And that be some good poop my man! Que Bueno! Fri Mar 06 04:51:20 -0800 2009 4478189 140140 mrbigshotno.1 7 4504664 Darn right it be some good poop- it be some GREAT poop! Thanks, Werewolf. Sat Mar 14 12:31:42 -0700 2009 4478771 105625 EWSflash 1 4700228 Looks like late June or early July now. Wed May 20 08:12:20 -0700 2009 4089547 294405 Cuppys 2 4711394 DOH! Well, at least they arent putting things on hold entirely. Sun May 24 15:47:40 -0700 2009 4700228 105625 EWSflash 3 4711546 Everything will be fine about mid September, don't worry. How many things ever got off the ground on time? Considrer ourselves lucky they are here! Sun May 24 16:52:33 -0700 2009 4711394 140140 mrbigshotno.1 4 4712190 Absolutely, MrBig! If it contributes to diversity of tastes and understanding of cultures, it's a good thing. A little delay doesn't mean anything in this economy! Mon May 25 00:28:08 -0700 2009 4711546 67600 firecracker 5 4713393 I agree completely- didn't mean to sound ungrateful at all. I'm SO glad to have a LeeLee in Tucson (Marana?), and really thrilled that they're able to pull it off . Mon May 25 13:34:39 -0700 2009 4712190 105625 EWSflash 1 4796807 Still under construction. Appears to be a couple of months away from opening. Mon Jun 22 21:00:55 -0700 2009 4089547 53487 werewolf 2 4803803 As always, Werewolf, I thank you for the update.. Wed Jun 24 19:49:00 -0700 2009 4796807 105625 EWSflash 1 4922227 Today's AZ Daily Star says Lee Lee Market will open in Tucson later this month. Here's the link to the article: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/85704/303797.php Thu Aug 06 07:04:37 -0700 2009 4089547 137947 bb4226 2 4949987 Update: Opens in about two weeks. Either the last week in August or the first week in September. Sat Aug 15 22:12:00 -0700 2009 4922227 53487 werewolf 2 4964010 Dropped by Lee Lee's last week and spoke with one of their supervisors. She is "hoping" to be open in about one month. Some of the shelves were stocked, they still need an "inspection for the electrical". Crossing my fingers! Thu Aug 20 17:11:27 -0700 2009 4922227 1103275 pookie2 3 4967220 You and me both, pookie2... Fri Aug 21 19:08:18 -0700 2009 4964010 105625 EWSflash 1 5049084 They now have all the dry goods stocked. They are telling me October 15th now. Tue Sep 22 09:50:42 -0700 2009 4089547 294405 Cuppys 2 5050049 Thank you for the update, Cuppys Tue Sep 22 14:09:38 -0700 2009 5049084 105625 EWSflash 3 5113598 Same ol "opening soon" sign still up. How long has it been up now? At least a year. How long does it generally take to open an ordinary new supermarket?. Sun Oct 18 22:51:29 -0700 2009 5050049 94106 justjoe 4 5116066 The economic slowdown probably has negatively impacted their opening date. It takes a lot of money to open a new supermarket, especially the first one in town. Mon Oct 19 19:51:59 -0700 2009 5113598 1096647 Sid Post 5 5116213 Does Tucson even have a big enough Asian population to support such a store, the same size as the giant one in Mesa? I'd hate to see it finally open and then be mostly empty - and if that was the case it wouldn't be profitable for them to supply it with all the fresh foods that make the ones up north so good, and that would be a vicious cycle reducing the business even more. Mon Oct 19 21:02:32 -0700 2009 5116066 94106 justjoe 6 5126744 Try to think positive thoughts, and paronize it regularly. I'm not Asian and I plan to go there a couple of times a month, and I live at Speedway and Wilmot. I've noticed that GrantStone market has been trying to spiff the place up lately. I think there's a big enough bunch of foodies ( you should excuse the epression) in general to support Lee Lee. Fri Oct 23 20:38:25 -0700 2009 5116213 105625 EWSflash 7 5135694 According to Pima county there are more than seventeen thousand Asians residing in the county. Since Lee Lee attracts more than just Asians, based on what we see at the Chandler store, there should be enough customers to fill the aisles. Tue Oct 27 16:13:53 -0700 2009 5126744 11541 DriverPhil 8 5136282 Here's the latest: Opening in three weeks. Tue Oct 27 20:10:49 -0700 2009 5135694 94106 justjoe 9 5147727 I sure hope so- I starte this thread over a year ago. Sun Nov 01 16:42:42 -0800 2009 5136282 105625 EWSflash 10 5151829 It's getting ridiculous. If Lee Lee is having second thoughts about opening here maybe Mekong Plaza Market, Mesa, AZ could move in instead. I like that new market better than Lee Lee. Tue Nov 03 08:10:47 -0800 2009 5147727 94106 justjoe 11 5174005 Stopped in yesterday. They claim to waiting for final electrical inspections. Opening in "two weeks". Where have we heard that before? Wed Nov 11 15:45:05 -0800 2009 5151829 11541 DriverPhil 12 5186729 Stopped by today. "Opening in 2 or 3 weeks". But now there are shopping carts lined up out front! Mon Nov 16 15:34:19 -0800 2009 5174005 94106 justjoe 13 5197282 Checked it out today. They now have permanent signs on the building, so a small step forward. Fri Nov 20 16:38:22 -0800 2009 5186729 11541 DriverPhil 14 5199160 I'm glad to have you checking and reporting regularly, DriverPhil and justjoe, and so are most of my coworkers that live on the east side. Sat Nov 21 18:03:14 -0800 2009 5197282 105625 EWSflash 15 5199774 It's supposed to be the exact same size as the giant one in Mesa, plus with a restaurant. That's what the owner told me last year. If it does draw the crowds that Mesa draws, and I doubt that it will, will the parking here be adequate? And if it doesn't draw big crowds how long will they continue stocking it with fresh fish and meats and vegetables and other perishables, and if they don't do that we'd do just as well with the three medium sized Asian markets we already have here in Tucson. Sun Nov 22 06:56:21 -0800 2009 5199160 94106 justjoe 16 5200150 Three is better than two, that's all I'll say, and try to remain optimistic. Sun Nov 22 10:33:30 -0800 2009 5199774 105625 EWSflash 16 5203596 The restaurant, looking in the window as we drive by, is nowhere near completion. However, Ikkyu, a Japanese restaurant in the same strip mall, is pretty darn good. http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/hidden-gem/Content?oid=1559492 Mon Nov 23 16:02:55 -0800 2009 5199774 11541 DriverPhil 17 5206611 Lee Lee's web site now says the Tucson "grand opening" is scheduled for the 2nd week of December. Tue Nov 24 19:50:55 -0800 2009 5203596 137947 bb4226