Seafood City opens in Arizona. Why fans camped out to be 1st in line

Some fans seemed to think so as they waited Thursday outside of Arizona's first Seafood City store in Chandler. Hundreds of people stood in a long line partly covered in tents that stretched almost to the Harkins Theatre a few stores down.

Doors opened at 9 a.m. with performances, a DJ and photo ops happening in front of the store beforehand.

With a smile on her face, Irene Shields from Mesa was the first customer to step foot inside the new supermarket. She began waiting, or rather camping out, in line starting at 5 p.m. the day prior.

Every time Shields had gone to Seafood City before, it was either in Las Vegas or California, so she said she was excited for a location to finally open up nearby.

"I wanted to make sure that I'm not going to miss this for the world, and we've been waiting for this for like 30 some years," she said.

Shields made sure to drink lots of water as she waited. She said she was most looking forward to having the lechon, or roasted pork belly, and halo-halo, the popular Filipino dessert with crushed ice, milk and toppings.

After Shields and other customers walked in, employees greeted them at the door with ringing bells and large grins.

But the fan turnout didn't stop there. The line of customers waiting to shop the new store was still long even as the afternoon heat set in.

All the snacks readily accessible

Sunset Alvaro from Gilbert is Filipino, and that was part of the reason she decided to stop by for the grand opening of Seafood City before work.

She began waiting in line at around 6:30 a.m., and immediately, as she got in, she went to Grill City for the barbecue skewers.

Alvaro said she has been to Seafood City locations in Chicago, Las Vegas and California. She said it has been a little bit difficult finding Filipino food in the Phoenix Valley, but now she's excited to have all the snacks she wants readily accessible.

"Since I used to live in Chicago, it was nice having Seafood City," she said. "Here, for so long, I didn't have it, and I couldn't find any of my favorite stuff."

Inside Seafood City, the large crowds seemed never-ending. Everywhere you'd turn, a person would be behind you. Somehow, the largest Filipino-Asian Food Hall in Arizona still didn't seem to fit everyone, as many were standing around tables without chairs or sharing seats.

Bakers Avenue worker Katrina Apostol, from Phoenix and now living in Chandler, said she's excited to see their weeks of hard work finally pay off. She said she's happy that everyone is coming in and plans on trying some more things in the Food Hall when she gets off at 1 p.m.

Michael Dowdy from Chandler came to check out Seafood City today with his wife and kids. He had been hearing about the opening for some time now, so he wanted to check it out in person.

"This is quite the experience," he said. "I moved here probably in 2016, Chandler specifically, and it's just grown. There are amazing places, Scheels, Seafood City and all the new food spots that are opening up. As you can tell, I'm a big guy, so love trying new food and new experiences."

He was also there to support some of his friends who were hosting the grand opening.

For now, they bought some candies and treats for their daughter. But the couple plans to come back when the line has decreased so they can actually try all the food stalls.

Dowdy was also impressed by the seafood selection, with the large Maine lobsters and live fish to choose from. He said that when he returns, since they only live five minutes away, he will definitely purchase some for grilling.

Barbecue breakfast

Seafood City President Matthew Go said he was feeling very grateful on opening day.

"We came here because we wanted to serve the community and let them experience a place where food can bring everyone together, and we're really happy about the patronage, and we hope that we deliver, and we hope you guys enjoy it," Go said.

He said he enjoyed seeing people eat the barbecue despite it being 9 a.m. People immediately got into line for Grill City, the popular Filipino BBQ that has sold 35 million skewers across North America.

Go said the staff had been prepping for the grand opening since 5 a.m. that morning. Though everything was ready last night, they wanted to make sure everything was double- and triple-checked. Go said they were "crossing our T's, dotting our I's."

"They're always happy here actually," he said about the staff. "I think that's what I really like about this team we have."

Now that the store is open, Go said that the work doesn't stop; they're going to continue developing to what the Chandler market needs, continue training their employees to get better and better service, watch their product selection and be involved with the community.

They also still have the crab market in the store, which has yet to open. Go said it will be ready in a couple of months.

He added that they are always open to feedback and want to hear ways they can improve from the customers.