Showing posts with label new downtown san jose retail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new downtown san jose retail. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Downtown San Jose gets a new retail store called Velvet House at 50 Post

Downtown San Jose is great for many things, but retail has historically not been one of them. This is slowly starting to change with great projects like MOMENT and pockets of activity here and there. The newest store I just found out about is called Velvet House and it's a women's "fashion forward" shop.

The owner Dayna Moya Gonzalez and her husband George are East San Jose natives that opened The Club on Post last year. This is one of Downtown San Jose's best brunch spots and has the absolute best Espresso Martini in San Jose. Velvet House is right across the street and is a brick-and-mortar extension of Dayna's online business.

The store features a variety of clothing and accessories. I am not going to pretend to know anything about women's clothing, but can say that there seem to be options for every occasion and prices are very reasonable. The location at 50 Post is right in the Historic District, steps away from great food and San Jose's nightlife.

For more info on Downtown's newest store, head over here.



Friday, May 18, 2018

MOMENT at San Pedro Squared opens today!

One of the most exciting retail improvements to Downtown San Jose in years is launching today. San Pedro Squared is a Knight Foundation-funded project that adds four micro-retail spaces on the ground floor of the San Pedro Square garage. San Pedro is arguably the most lively street Downtown right now, but has always been held back by only having restaurants, bars, and the occasional shop on one side of the street due to the massive parking structure. 12 parking spaces have been converted into four 400 SQFT businesses for local entrepreneurs.

It gets better. The four businesses are all women-owned ventures with strong ties to San Jose offering unique and innovative products. You can see the descriptions of each below along with links to their websites.

San Pedro Squared is having their grand opening today at 11am. Please patronize our new local businesses--this is the type of grassroots project that adds character to Downtown!

Innovative retail destination reinvented in Market-San Pedro Garage, continuing people-first development efforts in downtown San Jose

SAN JOSE (April 30, 2018) – With the conversion of parking into micro-retail shops at the Market-San Pedro Garage completed, four locally owned retailers will be part of the new destination’s grand opening May 18.

The shops collectively will be known as MOMENT at San Pedro Squared.
MOMENT exercises a new approach to retail that allows temporary shops to coalesce with traditional brick-and-mortar experiences.

We want MOMENT to serve as a platform for small businesses to make the leap from part-time to full-time,” said Kevin Biggers, chief strategist for San Jose Made, which is curating the vendors and managing the spaces for San Jose Downtown Association.

The conversion of parking spaces into retail shops was called San Pedro Squared because it adds activation and street life to the garage side of San Pedro Street on one of downtown’s most popular blocks.

The SJDA proposal to turn 12 parking spots on the San Pedro Square side of the garage into four 400-square-foot business spaces was a winner of the 2015 Knight Cities Challenge, an initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation that seeks to make the cities where Knight invests more vibrant places to live and work.

“The parking garage has been transformed into a vibrant venue that promises to bring new life to the community and serve as a destination for residents of all kinds to meet and connect,” said Danny Harris, Knight Foundation program director for San Jose. “The new MOMENT retail stores are a great example of people-first development, aiming to address resident needs and advance the economic vitality of the neighborhood.”

The Knight Foundation, along with the Downtown San Jose Property-Based Improvement District (PBID) and City of San Jose – owners of the garage – funded the project, including a new parklet that extends along the sidewalk into a seating and social area in front of the shops.  The parklet replaced five street parking spaces.

“With MOMENT, the entire block of San Pedro between St. John and Santa Clara streets becomes more active at the perfect time when new residential developments around the square near completion,” said Chuck Hammers, PBID president.

The initial roster of MOMENT tenants includes four women-owned businesses:
  • Bobo Design Studio:  Angie Chua has created a lifestyle wanderlust brand featuring brilliant designs crafted on everything from pins and patches to bags and graphic apparel, handcrafted and made in California.  bobodesignstudio.com
  • Fractal Flora:  Through Fractal Flora, Yuri Lee and Sarah Lim have a mission to reconnect people to nature, be it through their wonderful curation and care for the plants and flowers they sell or their popular DIY terrarium workshops. fractalflora.com
  • Blooms Privé:  Sarah Coronado and Marie Coronado of Blooms Privé have created the next evolution of women’s underwear (patent-approved), prioritizing an empowering and inventive design for women anywhere. bloomsprive.com
  • Sea Senorita Studios:  For Sea Senorita Studios, Sofia Arredondo uses her incredible artwork to power a diverse range of products, featuring everything from paper goods to T-shirts to accessories.  seasenoritastudios.tumblr.com/
For small business owners like myself, MOMENT provides an opportunity for us to get back into our community, engage with our customers and build a presence that is increasingly more difficult to do online,” said Angie Chua of Bobo Design Studio, a San Jose native who quit her job in a tech-based startup to pursue her dreams as a creative business owner.

San Pedro Squared was designed by Gensler and Eaton Hall Architecture, and built by TICO Construction.  The project’s evolution has been documented atsanpedrosquaredsj.com.

This project achieves a number of collective community objectives – incubating local talent, transforming the public realm and creating a cluster of destination retail in our city center,” said Blage Zelalich, downtown manager in the city’s Office of Economic Development.  “We’re confident that MOMENT is going to be great for San Pedro Square and downtown San Jose.”

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About PBID
Established in August 2007 and managed by the San Jose Downtown Association, the Property-Based Improvement District (PBID) provides cleaning and tree-trimming services, beautification and street life projects, downtown ambassadors and secondary police enforcement units, and business development assistance. http://sjdowntown.com
About MOMENT
MOMENT is a set of four dynamic micro-retail spaces designed and programmed to advance, grow and celebrate creative retail. Powered by San Jose Made, MOMENT embodies the urgency, immediacy and verve of today’s new retail and creative culture, featuring makers, creatives, artists and emerging brands for varying short-to-mid-length durations. The first four shopkeepers will occupy the spaces through August 2018.  Visit  moment-sj.com

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit http://knightfoundation.org.

About the San José Department of Transportation
The San José Department of Transportation (DOT) plans, develops, operates, and maintains transportation facilities, services, and related systems that contribute to the livability and economic health of the city. Our goal is to provide a transportation system that is safe, efficient, and convenient for all modes of transportation, and which supports San José’s livability and economic vitality.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Downtown San Jose's Next High-Rise

With One South already leasing, Centerra wrapping up, and Silvery Towers about to rise--the big question is which residential tower is going to go up next. Well, that question may be answered very soon. Simeon Residential Properties (one of the companies behind Centerra) purchased a half-acre site across from the Greyhound bus station. This is a turnkey development site that already has approval for a 21-story tower with 180 residential units and 7,000 SQFT of retail. Parking will be shared with a neighboring office building, a concept pretty new to San Jose.

The good news is that Simeon seems really eager to get going on the tower. The plan is to get the construction drawings done ASAP and break ground in early 2016. You may remember a previous drawing for this site, which you can see below. Personally, I like the eclectic design that makes the tower look like 3 different buildings scrunched together. Hopefully they'll keep some of these elements after the revision.

Two other projects could also break ground in 2016: a two-tower Barry Swenson project at St. James Park and a tower across the street from City Hall.

Source: SVBJ


Sunday, December 14, 2014

San Jose Pop-Up Project Map

Shop local this Holiday Season! There are 23 great shops in Downtown San Jose this holiday season, nine of which are pop-ups. Visit them all using the handy map below!




Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Discover San Jose Retail Store Opens Today!

If this isn't a sign of the times I don't know what is. Yet another retail store is opening up Downtown, and this one is all about San Jose pride! The Discover San Jose store will be located at 150 South 1st Street across from the Fairmont Plaza and will carry souvenirs, historic artifacts, San Jose art, and more. They picked a really good central location and I'm sure store will do wonders in getting the San Jose brand out there more.

The ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening are both happening this afternoon and will feature free food, drinks, and gifts. For more information click here!



Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Video Tour of MUJI!

Check out the great little video below of MUJI's grand opening last week in Downtown San Jose (thanks to our friends at WMS Media for sending this over). You have to check out this store! I hope we will see many more like it in the future. Please be sure to also read Jen's write-up of opening day over here.


Muji San Jose Store Grand Opening 4-16-2013 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Downtown Whole Foods Design Update

Happy Friday! On Tuesday we feasted on a substantial improvement in the design of One South Market. Well, today we have another treat for you to bookend the week. The design has been updated for the new Whole Foods coming to the border of The Alameda and Downtown San Jose in 2014. It looks like they incorporated quite a bit of feedback when it comes to making the building more engaging for people walking by. Here are some of the changes that I noticed:

  • Outdoor patio seating on the ground floor corner. This is in addition to the covered outdoor seating on the second floor (where the roof has been raised in this latest design). By the way, this building is going to host the first craft brewery to be built into a Whole Foods.
  • New vertical sign at the corner.
  • More colorful facade with more windows.
  • Huge dormer windows on the roof of the Alameda side.

I can't wait until this opens!

Hat tip to C.L.

Source: Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association Facebook Page

Old Design







New Design









Sunday, January 6, 2013

Boston Private Bank Opening in Downtown San Jose

Another bank is coming Downtown, although most of us won't casually be walking into this one. Boston Private Bank focuses mainly on wealth management, wealth advisory and trust services, commercial lending, and private banking. The new branch is scheduled to open this quarter at 60 S. Market Street, and it will be the first location in San Jose. They already have other Bay Area locations in Palo Alto, Los Altos, Burlingame, and San Francisco. Tenant improvements are happening as we speak and I'm sure we'll all look forward to having another business Downtown.

Source: SVBJ

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Umpqua Bank coming Downtown

Umpqua Bank should be opening their first San Jose store in pretty soon in the heart of Downtown San Jose. It has leased two floors totaling 6,874 sqft at 225 West Santa Clara, which is next to Amici's and Axis. Build out is happening right now and it should be ready sometime towards the end of the quarter.

The ground floor will have personal banking services, a computer cafe, free WiFi, and conference rooms that anyone in the community can reserve. I have never been to a bank with a cafe and community rooms before. The second floor will have commercial banking services.

Source: SVBJ

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Downtown Grocery Outlet is Open!

Finally, a grocer has occupied the former Su Vianda space next to City Hall and is servicing the Downtown community. I swung by here a couple weeks ago and they did a great job with the place. It is clean and well organized both inside an out, the prices are reasonable, and the staff was friendly. I think Grocery Outlet will be an asset to the area. The icing on the cake is that the husband and wife owners were born and raised in San Jose.

For more info have a look at the press release below or check out this particular store's website over here.





GROCERY OUTLET BARGAIN MARKET EXPANDS SAVINGS TO THE SAN JOSE AREA
WITH 5TH CITY LOCATION

Husband and Wife Owner/Operators to Host Grand Opening Celebration of Brand New Downtown San Jose Grocery Outlet on Saturday, November 3

Berkeley, CA – – Local husband and wife entrepreneurs Darren and Chevonne Johst are proud to announce the opening of their brand new Grocery Outlet store in downtown San Jose, California. The largest “extreme-value” grocer in the U.S., the Downtown San Jose Grocery Outlet is the third of three new Bay area locations to open this fall and the fifth location of the grocery brand in the city of San Jose. The Johst’s will host their free-to-the-public official Grand Opening celebration on November 3 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. San Jose residents are invited to attend the event to enjoy an array of fun, family entertainment, food and special prize giveaways.

"Grocery Outlet's move to open a new location in downtown San Jose was really predicated on the tremendous amount of email requests we received from residents," says Vice President of Real Estate, Marc Drasin. "After determining that the area was indeed a 'food desert,' we made the decision to bring in a more affordable shopping destination to downtown metropolitan San Jose."

San Jose State University students, residents and employees in the Downtown San Jose area can now expect to pay much less on brand name, quality foods and merchandise at the new Grocery Outlet. With over 165 independently-owned and operated store locations, including two additional locations that opened in Milpitas and Santa Clara in late September and October, Grocery Outlet continues to experience tremendous growth by consistently offering customers the opportunity to achieve considerable savings on brand names and high quality items.

Not only is Grocery Outlet expanding extreme savings in San Jose County and beyond, it’s also creating local job opportunities. The Johst’s have hired over 40 full-time and part-time employees to fill positions ranging from merchandisers and cashiers, to department managers and leads.  Many of these new employees are local students attending the nearby university and city colleges.

The brand-new Grocery Outlet will open in the space formerly occupied by Mercado Su Vianda, a Mexican market that has stood vacant for several years. The shopping center, situated on East Santa Clara and Seventh Streets next to San Jose City Hall and across the street from Horace Mann Elementary, also boasts another venerable family-owned business, Lee’s Sandwiches, and the very popular Tung Kee Noodle House.

Both born and raised in San Jose, the Johst’s along with their five children, are thrilled to have the opportunity to own and operate their own business in the heart of the city they have called home their entire lives - Grocery Outlet’s "family" ethos echoes the Johst’s sentiment. With an extensive background in grocery retail, Darren entered the industry at a very early age as a bagger for Safeway at the age of 17. Working his way up over the next 14 years, Darren eventually became one of the youngest Store Managers in the company. Darren’s deep understanding of the grocery business complements Chevonne’s degree from Santa Clara University and background in organizational analysis and business management. Together, the couple is looking forward to ownership success by creating a customer-friendly environment where real savings and quality merchandise are easily obtained under one roof.

At approximately 22,000-square-feet total, the completely renovated space will feature nine spacious aisles of product offerings, including an expanded Grab & Go section for students and nearby professionals, a high-quality selection of USDA-certified meats, fully stocked organic, beauty, health, and fresh produce departments, as well as an enhanced wine and beer section.

An institution amongst bargain-seeking loyalists, Berkeley-based Grocery Outlet specializes in opportunistic sourcing, buying discounted close-outs of excess inventories from national brand-name manufacturers and private-labels. With over 170 independently-owned and operated store locations, including two additional locations that opened in Milpitas and Santa Clara in late September and October, Grocery Outlet continues to experience tremendous growth by consistently offering customers the opportunity to achieve considerable savings on brand names and high quality items.

The Johst’s are also passionate about giving back to their community and look forward to benefiting local non-profit organizations. With Halloween right around the corner, the Johst’s are hosting a special in-store “Trick or Treat” costume event for the over 600 students of Horace Mann Elementary. From 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 31, trick-or-treating students are invited to visit special “goodie” stations located throughout the store to fill their bags with holiday treats, crayons and coloring books. In December, a joint venture between the Downtown San Jose Grocery Outlet, Olinder Food Group and Roosevelt Neighborhood Association will help provide gift certificates to struggling families redeemable for grocery items to make their special holiday meals.

For more information on the San Jose Grocery Outlet, please visit: www.groceryoutlet.com or visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DowntownSanJoseGO.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Japanese Retailer Muji Coming Downtown!

You may want to sit down for this. Downtown San Jose actually beat out Santana Row for a premier flagship retailer.

Muji is a Japanese home goods store that is known for a minimalist design. Their products are primarily aimed at urban dwellers, especially those with limited space that are living in high-density apartments or condos.

They are planning on building a flagship 7,000 sqft store at the Fairmont Annex, in the space where the preview center for 360 Residences used to be several years ago.

Currently there are only three US stores in existence like this one, and all of them are in Manhattan. They are only planning to build out two stores on the West Coast for now, one in San Francisco and the other is this one.

To say this is a huge win for Downtown San Jose would be an understatement. On Mondays I like to post development news. There are a few new massive apartment and office projects that were just announced, and I completely pushed those aside for this.

No official opening date has been set, but they are shooting for Spring. Godspeed.

Source: SJBJ





Thursday, August 23, 2012

Siren Fish & Reptiles Now Open Downtown

Another retail slot has been filled Downtown! Siren Fish & Reptile is now open for business at 18 N 1st Street (near the intersection with E. Santa Clara). They have a pretty impressive collection of lizards, amphibians, snakes, fish, and even birds. Even if you are not a fish or reptile hobbyist, you should still stroll in and have a look.

You can also check out their website over here and their Facebook page here.



Wednesday, May 12, 2010

New Downtown San Jose Retail - Q2 and Q3 2010

The latest San Jose Redevelopment Agency monthly report is out and it has an updated list of new retail opening it's doors Downtown through September. Details below!

Retail Under Construction
There are twelve retail stores or restaurants Downtown currently under construction or in the permitting process.

Opening Second Quarter 2010
• Ruffled Feathered Eatery (200 S. First St., Ste. 10)
• The Pasta Market (579 Coleman Ave., Unit #80 - San Jose Market Center)
• Sante Grill (143 West Santa Clara St.) Now Open!
• La Victoria - expansion (131 W. Santa Clara St.)
• Teagre Tea Shop (33 North Almaden Ave. - San Pedro Square)
• Panda Express – (567 Coleman Ave. - San Jose Market Center)
• Tutti Frutti Yogurt – (567 Coleman Ave. - San Jose Market Center)
• Paesano’s Sicilian Restaurant (350 W. Julian St., - Little Italy)

Opening Third Quarter 2010
• Ross Dress for Less (27 South First St.)
• Morton’s Steakhouse – expansion (177 Park Ave.)
• Pho 69 Restaurant (321 South First St.)
• The MMoon Empanada Restaurant (177 W. Santa Clara St. - San Pedro Square)

To read the full report, click here!