EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — A new cultural attraction in Eden Prairie is now in a soft opening period. The Asia Mall, formerly the site of Gander Outdoors, has opened its doors for limited hours to guests who have connected with them in advance. This comes ahead of a grand opening later this month.
The limited occupancy period will last from Nov. 10 through Nov. 19, from noon to 7 p.m.
Osmund Dris, one of the leasing agents, said it'll give all employees a chance to make sure operations run smoothly.
"It's a new concept that's now here in Minnesota, so I feel like the first few days leading up to the grand opening are going to be very overwhelming," Dris said.
However, everyone involved shares excitement for what's to come. While they are still looking for a few more tenants and some staff to work at their current restaurants and grocery store, Dris said the crew "feels like family."
"Like everywhere else, it is hard to find employees at the moment," Dris said. "So we just hope that everyone will be patient and enjoy what they can experience out of this."
Asia Mall prepares for opening
Inside the mall, patrons will have the opportunity to dine at more than a half-dozen restaurants, from a meal at Hot Pot City to sweets at Mochi Dough. The first floor features a large grocery store with live seafood, exotic fruits and all kinds of Asian snacks, sodas and foods you won't be able to find in a typical grocery store.
"Something I'm looking forward to is the snack aisle. Being Filipino-American, my mom raised us on different types of Asian snacks," Dris said.
Dris is also excited about the seafood area of the grocery store.
"The reason why it's so unique is typically when you go into an Asian market, if it's one thing that you smell, it's the seafood, because of how strong it is," he said. "Here, our seafood section is enclosed, so the only time you ever smell anything is actually when you're inside, but as soon as you walk out, it's as if nothing really happened."
Ultimately, when people come to Asia Mall, Dris says he hopes people experience an abundance of opportunities.
"Again, it's the first of its kind, so nothing but possibilities," he said. "It's a home away from home, I would say."