The Wollongong restaurant site vacated by Criniti's almost one year ago, has a new owner.
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Marvin Ma, who runs many restaurants in the city, including the popular Korean barbecue restaurant BBQ Town at the Wollongong Hellenic Club, has big plans for the Keira Street site.
Mr Ma plans to run two restaurants from the site which was once home to Criniti's.
And, if all goes to plan he will open Hanok Korean Barbecue and Ta Chun in early December.
Mr Ma and his business partners already operate a Hanok eatery in Shellharbour and have plans to open a second restaurant in Miranda later this month.
"The Wollongong store will be our third Hanok restaurant," he said.
"Because the former Criniti's site is so big, we are also going to open Ta Chun. This Chinese restaurant is more fine dining than Hanok.
"It's great we can operate two very different restaurants from this very popular Wollongong location."
The Keira St restaurant strip has had a chequered history, with a number of outlets shutting up shop since Wollongong Central expansion opened in 2014.
Since then the food outlets on that strip that have come and gone include Outback Jacks, Max Brenner, Charlie Lovett cafe and bakery, Yogurberry and Coco Cubano.
Earlier this year The Bavarian Wollongong put up the "temporary closed" sign.
"As we continue to deliver an experience that inspires and excites our shoppers, we are thrilled to be welcoming Korean BBQ to the centre, which we know will generate a lot of delicious excitement over the busy holiday period.," GPT Wollongong Central manager Jasmin North said.
Mr Ma said while COVID had presented some challenges, he had bucked the trend and opened a number of eateries in Wollongong this year.
"We've seen quite a few businesses close down in Wollongong, especially in Crown Street, but we've managed to successfully open a couple of eateries this year," he said.
"We opened Hot Star Chicken and Big Bowl Malatang in Crown St in June and July respectively.
"Both stores have done really well. We are hoping that the tide has turned and business confidence picks up in Wollongong."
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