By Jim Carchidi
September 27, 2026
A new take on a Japanese staple is open for business inside Mills Market. UniMart began a soft opening phase at noon on Sept. 26 with lines of eager shoppers queued for nearly an hour before opening.
Quick service and then some
UniMart is a smaller version of traditional Conbini: Japanese convenience stores known for stocking a vast selection of goods and affordable, high-quality prepared meals and hot items. The shop comes courtesy of Michelin-star chef William Shen, owner of Mills Market favorites Zaru, UniGirl, Cowboy Curry, and Okonomi.
Shen was onsite over the weekend, overseeing a small kitchen crew busily preparing hot take-away items. Patrons learned of the weekend hours from UniMart Instagram story posts. A store associate told The Orlando Real the soft opening will be in effect through Tuesday, Sept. 29, with operating hours from noon until Mills Market closing. UniMart will close Wednesday and Thursday before reopening on Friday, Oct. 2, at its regular schedule, which is not yet determined. Check UniMart social media posts for updates.
Inside UniMart
The shop occupies a corner stall at the far end of Mills Market, next to Okonomi. Guests are welcomed by shelves of colorfully packaged snacks, gifts, and goods. A wall of coolers is stocked with bento boxes, prepared meals, and desserts. Juices, teas, and other drinks are available next to a grab-and-go counter, featuring boneless fried chicken, fried fish, kimchi hash browns, and chicken meatballs. The average grab-and-go price was $5 and selections will change as the soft opening proceeds.
Guests can also choose from nine sauces to accompany their grab-and-go selections. And helpful staffers were literally around every corner to answer questions.
Job opportunities
UniMart and several Mills Market tenants are hiring. Open calls are scheduled from 10 a.m.-noon on Oct. 1, and from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 5 to fill the following positions:
- Store attendant
- Prep cook
- Sushi chef
- Server
- Graphic design intern
For more information, log onto the Mills Market website and unimartfl.com.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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