Sakura Market Brings Japanese Vibes to Downtown San Jose

Downtown San Jose gained a distinctive new retail option when Sakura Market held its soft opening on June 24 at the corner of South First Street and Paseo de San Antonio. The 5,000-square-foot store occupies the former Muji space and draws inspiration from Japan’s popular konbini convenience stores.

Shoppers can find groceries, beverages, grab-and-go items, a mini-mart selection, sake and beer bar, sushi buffet, instant ramen bar, matcha tea shop, and a wide range of Japanese snacks alongside everyday essentials. Owned by Osaka Marketplace, the location serves as a smaller version of their larger concepts and is adapted to best serve local residents (like neighboring SJSU students).

The opening helps address a noticeable gap in grocery options within Downtown San Jose. The area has lacked convenient food retail since a small-format Safeway closed in 2019. This will particularly benefit residents near San Jose State University’s Spartan Village and visitors staying at the Signia by Hilton hotel, but I'd expect it to draw people from all over the area.

One really unique feature is the instant ramen bar where you choose all of your toppings, pay, and then quickly cook your ramen at the bar. The self-serve sushi bar also looks like a winner for anyone wanting to grab a quick meal.

Sakura Market is actively hiring for positions including cashiers, customer service, stockers, cleaning staff, bartenders, and sushi preparers, with pay ranging from $18.45 to $21 per hour for part-time and full-time roles. The unique mix of food, drink, and experience-oriented retail stands to draw both locals and tourists seeking something different from standard mall offerings.

This addition strengthens the vibrant mix of shops and eateries that make Downtown San Jose an increasingly appealing destination to live and explore.

Source: SiliconValley.com

Matcha Town and Matcha Matcha Bring Authentic Japanese Tea to San Jose

San Jose has added Matcha Town to its roster of specialty tea spots with a location at 1704 Oakland Road. This spot centers on ceremonial-grade matcha imported from Japan with five concentration levels available, from a light Jasmine blend all the way to the robust No. 5 for those who know their preference.

Matcha Matcha has also established a presence in the city through its tea trailer stationed at Spark Social, the food truck and entertainment venue. The operation sources its matcha from Nishio in Aichi, Japan, and already runs another site on Saratoga Avenue.

In nearby Cupertino, BonBon Matcha readies a new cafe that will emphasize convenient grab-and-go service along with creative drinks such as strawberry matcha lattes and traditional Japanese desserts. The roughly 1,000-square-foot space expects to generate about six positions once it begins operations.

The arrivals expand the choices available for anyone seeking a refined tea experience or a refreshing twist on a familiar favorite. Whether you prefer the pure taste of whisked ceremonial matcha or a sweeter strawberry-infused latte, these new destinations give you more ways to enjoy unique matcha experiences.

Source: SVBJ

Downtown San Jose Retail Updates at The Grad and Centerra

The Grad just lost a tenant (Ding Tea) but picked up two new ones: Delah Coffee and Naz's Halal. Delah Coffee is a poular chain of Yemeni and Middle Easter cafes. They are known for culturally rich beverages and cozy interiors. Some of their specialty drinks include spiced Adeni Chai and Harazi Coffee along pastries like baklava and Turkish delights.

Naz's Halal is a rapidly growing fast-casual chain serving NYC-style halal platter and gyros. They're known for generous portions at affordable prices (perfect for The Grad).

On the other side of Downtown San Jose, Centerra finally has a new tenant next to Dr. Ink. Palmetto Superfoods is opening their newest location in that primo spot across the street from the San Pedro Square Market. They are a California-based chain featuring customizable Brazilian açaí bowls and superfood smoothies.

Source: Robertee from Skyscraper City

Santana Row's Exciting New Additions: A Taste of What's to Come

Santana Row, San Jose’s premier destination for shopping and dining, is gearing up for an exciting year with a wave of new stores and restaurants set to open this year. These fresh additions promise to enhance the vibrant energy of this iconic neighborhood, making it an even more irresistible spot for locals and visitors alike.

Kicking things off is Parranga, a Mexico City-style taqueria from the acclaimed Buen Rallo Group, known for gems like Suspiro and El Jardin. Opening its doors on April 1 at 300 Santana Row, Parranga brings a refined yet casual dining experience with its order-at-the-counter setup and a welcoming open-air patio. “Parranga is about bringing an incredibly traditional, Mexico City-style taqueria experience to Santana Row,” says Eduardo Rallo, chairman and founder of Buen Rallo Group. “We believe that great food should be fresh, accessible and above all, authentic – and that’s exactly what we’re offering.” Operating from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays (and until midnight on weekends), it’s set to be one of the earliest and latest dining options on the Row—perfect for breakfast tacos or late-night bites.

Joining the culinary scene is Augustine Cafe and Restaurant, already open and serving up California cuisine with French and Italian flair. Operated by the seasoned Bacchus Management Group, this spot adds yet another layer of flavor to Santana Row’s diverse dining lineup.

On the retail side, Santana Row is rolling out a stylish array of new stores. Kohler brings cutting-edge kitchen and bath design, while Bluemercury caters to beauty lovers with top-tier cosmetics. The Collective offers unique furnishings, and Evereve has taken over the ground floor of the former H&M space with its chic women’s clothing. Sézane, another women’s fashion boutique, rounds out the lineup. Meanwhile, Vuori is expanding its athletic-wear showroom next to Evereve, tapping into the active lifestyle vibe that’s thriving in San Jose.

Federal Realty Investment Trust, the masterminds behind Santana Row, see these developments as a sign of the city’s strength. “San Jose is thriving,” says Christian Irwin, Federal Realty’s vice president of West Coast leasing. “The demand for great retail is alive and well.” This growth isn’t just about new shops—it’s a reflection of Santana Row’s winning formula, blending restaurants, retail, housing, and offices into a bustling community hub.

From savoring authentic tacos at Parranga to browsing the latest fashion at Sézane, Santana Row’s newcomers are set to make 2025 a standout year!

Source: SVBJ, The Mercury News

New Ross store coming to East San Jose

A former site of a 23,700 SQFT Rite Aid at 1030 South White Road is going to get a new tenant. Ross has just signed a 10-year lease (with options to extend another 10 years). This is in the White Road Plaza shopping center anchored by a Cardenas Markets and dd's Discounts.

As many big box stores have been closing in recent years, it opens up opportunities for retailers like Ross that are financially performing well. It will also be nice to have access to another clothing store for the Alum Rock/East San Jose community.

Source: The Mercury News

Outdoor Adventure hub coming to Santa Clara/North San Jose area in January

AVE Santa Clara, at 2240 Calle de Luna, is setting a new standard for apartment living in Silicon Valley with its launch of the AVEnture Hub. Offering first move-ins in January 2025, residents get free access to an array of outdoor gear—from bikes to kayaks—encouraging exploration of our local amenities.

Lea Anne Welsh of AVE explains, "It's about enriching life with nature's playground." The hub includes:

• Varied Equipment: For all adventure types.
• User-Friendly App: For gear scheduling.
• Social Space: To connect and plan adventures.

Steve Edwards from Ensemble Investments adds, "We're making outdoor adventures accessible and communal."

Beyond the adventure hub, AVE Santa Clara boasts luxury amenities and is steps from Clara’s Junction. With 311 units, both furnished and traditional, it's redefining Silicon Valley living. Applications are open at AVE Santa Clara's site.

Sky Zone coming to Hacienda Gardens in Willow Glen

A former Rite Aid that has been empty since October 2023 at Hacienda Gardens is getting a new lease on life. The trampoline park chain called Sky Zone is prepping to open a new location there in the middle of 2025.

Sky Zone picked the space since there are nor many active entertainment options in the immediate area for families, despite it being a family-friendly neighborhood. The real estate broker described the area as high-income with lots of kids.

Hacienda Gardens has 22 tenants total including Dollar Tree, Banfield Pet Hospital, Jack Holder's, Wells Fargo, and Ginza Sushi. There is one other Sky Zone in San Jose at 1901 Monterey Road.

Source: SVBJ

Porsche is setting up shop at Santana Row

Santana Row made history as the very first location for a Tesla Store. It disrupted the entire auto market with a direct-to-consumer model and a buying experience similar to an Apple Store--perhaps because the person responsible for Apple Stores was behind the initial Tesla Store concept. Several auto makers followed suit including Lucid and Polestar which have similar stores across the street in Valley Fair. The Santana Row Tesla Store has also become so popular that it significantly expanded it's original square footage into a neighboring retail pad a few years ago. 

Now traditional automakers are getting in on the action. Porsche is opening their very first Porsche NOW concept at Santana Row.

The store will enable visitors to interact with the Porsche brand in a lounge-like environment and tinker with one of Porsche's electrified models such as the Taycan or Macan Electric. This would make sense given San Jose is the largest market for electric vehicles per capita of any large city in the US.

The Porsche NOW store is located near Hotel Valencia at 355 Santana Row and had their soft opening last week.

Source: SVBJ

New renders for affordable housing in Alviso/North San Jose

Next to the Topgolf towards the very north of San Jose are plans for multiple projects. One of the more significant ones involves 780 apartments sitting on top of 16,200 SQFT of retail. The apartments would be split into eight buildings up to seven-stories tall.

The design isn't glamourous, but if it helps keep the prices reasonable I'm all for it. We definitely need more housing in this area which is near the bulk of Silicon Valley tech jobs.  

Source: SF YIMBY

More retailers coming to Santana Row

As retail struggles all around the country, Santana Row and Valley Fair continue to thrive. It actually has signed seven new leases recently. They are:

• Cast - boutique jewelry store that opened in November
• 7th Avenue - modular furniture store opening in 2024
• Evereve - women's fashion retailer
• New Balance - sports footwear and apparel opening in March
• Todd Snyder - designer menswear
• Solidcore - fitness center set to open between April and June
• Kohler Signature Store - plumbing fixtures and bath products

As for office leasing, there was some good news there as well. Acrisure will move into 29,000 SQFT at the One Santana West building across the street from Santana Row.

Source: The Mercury News

Downtown San Jose could be getting a new pet store/hotel/daycare

The "Workingman's Emporium" retail store in Downtown San Jose at North First and Devine Street has been bought by a pet services entrepreneur. The plan is now to convert the 7,900 SQFT property into a care facility and retail store for pets. This would include pet boarding, daycare, and grooming. 

With so many new homes and residents in Downtown San Jose, this will be a major amenity for pet owners that is just a short walk from most major Downtown residential buildings. 

No ETA was provided but given the owner already has has experience in this space and another store that is currently open (Pet Villa in Santa Clara), I wouldn't expect it to be a long wait before the grand opening. 

Source: SiliconValley.com 

New San Jose mixed-use project moves forward with 1,100 homes and a Whole Foods

A massive project could be headed for a shopping center at the corner of Saratoga and Lawrence Expressway across the street from Westgate. The area would be developed into a mini-Santana Row anchored by Whole Foods. In total, it would have 1,100 residential units across several multi-story buildings sitting on top of 165,000 SQFT of retail. 

The Whole Foods would be the only single-story building on the property (to simplify financing and construction). However, that is just 43,000 SQFT of the overall project. The layout would include a retail "main street" and a new neighborhood park. 

Unlike most new projects of this scale in San Jose, there won't be an affordable housing component. Everything will be market rate. However, increasing the overall housing supply has a negative effect on prices across the board and 1,100 homes is a significant number.

Source: The Mercury News

Valley Fair to become the largest luxury watch retail site in the country

Valley Fair already has a huge list of over-the-top watch stores where you can buy timepieces that cost as much as Teslas. These include IWC Schaffhausen, Panerai, Jaeger LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin. If you haven't heard of any of those (like myself) they they are probably out of your budget. 

CH Premier Jewelers is planning to build a 16,000 SQFT multi-brand flagship store that will have several different watch boutiques. These would be brands like Patek Philippe, Omega, Blancpain, and Breguet & Piaget. This sounds almost like a department store for watches that should come with free Dom Pérignon and caviar while you're shopping--and perhaps they will off that. New 2023 Patek Philippe watches sell for up to $9,000,000. I had to count zeroes, but yes that is correct.

The new addition will make Valley Fair the top destination in the US for ultra-luxury watches.

Source: Silicon Valley Joe from the San Jose Development Forum

 

Long-vacant Market by Safeway space finally finds a tenant

The 88 high-rise is finally getting a new anchor tenant! When the condo tower was first built, there was a lot of excitement to have a Safeway in the middle of downtown San Jose, even though it was a scaled back "Market" concept. Safeway struggled with parking, which most Safeway customers in Silicon Valley were accustomed to getting for free. Once they started charging for parking it was game over.

Now, four years later, OneMedAll will be taking that vacant 24,000 SQFT space at the corner of 100 S. Second. This location will focus on oral and general medical care. You can learn more about the company at the OneMedAll website.

I would have loved to see another grocery store here on this key corner spot, but who couldn't use a bit more health and wellness.

Source: SVBJ

Vince and Barry's Bootcamp are now open in Santana Row

Vince is a luxury clothing and accessory store located in a 2,378 SQFT space next to the newly-expanded lululemon. They are known for a modern, timeless aesthetic. This is one of only three Vince locations within 100 miles, the other two are in Palo Alto and San Francisco.

On the other side of the Row we have Barry's Bootcamp in a 4,500 SQFT space below Splunk. The gym features intense cardio and strength training interval workouts. Members burn up to 1,000 calories per class. You'll find 21 treadmills, full-service locker rooms with private shower, and premium snacks. This is the fourth Barry's Bootcamp in the Bay Area.

Both are now open, with Meso Modern Mediterranean and Blue Bottle Coffee opening next.

Block 2

If you liked yesterday's unique Market Street Towers renders, Sobrato has another flagship project right around the corner that we'll call "Block 2" until an official name is released. It is located on East San Fernando St. between S 1st St. and S 2nd St.

The project looks like several stacked glass Tetris pieces with multiple sky gardens between them. This would be one of the most interesting and unique buildings Downtown if it gets built.

The schematic shows new ground floor retail, which like Market Street Towers would fill a critical gap or deadzone Downtown. Currently the only thing on this piece of land is a surface parking lot.

Above the retail and lobby would be four floors of parking and 12 floors of offices. Each floor appears to have two sky gardens, which are four-story cutouts from the main building shell. Impressive!

Source: Market Street Towers

Market Street Towers

Sobrato has just release some new renders for their Market Street Towers project. The building design is iconic. I can't say that I have seen anything like this anywhere else. While it looks like four separate towers, it is actually a single 584,658 SQFT office building with floor plates as large as 51,605 SQFT.

The ground floor will have 16,372 SQFT of new retail, which fills a dead zone between the Paseo between the Fairmont buildings and San Carlos Street. Currently this is just a surface parking lot. Speaking of parking, there will be 683 parking spaces and 152 bicycle stalls, something that will also come in handy on the weekends when the offices are closed.

My favorite part of the project is the roof, which features not one but two sky gardens with over 25,000 SQFT of combined space. The views should be incredible as you can see from the 2nd and 3rd images below.

To see more photos and 360 degree views, head over to the Market Street Towers marketing site. Tomorrow we'll post renders for another Sobrato project in the area.

Apple is building a flagship two-story store in San Jose

San Jose is finally getting an Apple store worthy of being in Silicon Valley! As part of Westfield's $1.1 billion expansion, Apple will move to a two-story location facing the new Santana Row-style outdoor dining district. In the image below I marked where I think it could go. Based on the description it could be anywhere on the walkway closest to Stevens Creek Boulevard and it will feature both indoor and outdoor areas.

Westfield is calling this out as an "anchor" tenant for their expansion which will have over 150 new retail stores, multiple new restaurants, and a Bloomingdale's department store. Apple tends to pull out all the stops for their flagship locations and I can't see what they come up with for San Jose.

Source: SVBJ

Santana Row is welcoming Vince, Brandy Melville, TravisMathew, Sauced BBQ & Spirits, and Cosecha

Santana Row has just announced five new retail and restaurant offerings. They continue to attract unique stores that are not easy to find and in some cases are the first location in Silicon Valley.

Retail 

Vince is a luxury brand offering shoes, handbags, and home items. The 2,378 SQFT shop will be next to the newly expanded Lululemon store. The only other Bay Area stores are in Palo Alto and San Francisco.

Brandy Melville is a tendy women's apperel line from Italy. The 3,122 SQFT store will open in the summer.

TravisMathew is a lifestyle apparel company for men. The 1,911 SQFT store has a ping pong table and classic arcades (!!!), so it will likely be my new favorite Santana Row spot. This will be the very first location in Northern California.

Restaurants

Sauced BBQ & Spirits is a new Southern-inspired restaurant featuring BBQ and numerous beer, wine, and whiskey options. It will open in the parkside location next to Maggiano's this fall.

Cosecha is a revamped version of Consuelo's with the same ownership and an 800 SQFT expansion. They will offer modern Mexican dishes with local ingredients.

It has been announced before, but is worth mentioning again that Blue Bottle Coffee is opening soon in the former Pinkberry location in the middle of the park and Meso Modern Mediterranean will be the new restaurant in Santana Row's new capstone building next to CineArts movie theater.

For the full press release, see below.

Santana Row Continues to Draw Cutting-Edge Eateries and Stylish Shops

San Jose’s most popular neighborhood welcomes Vince, Brandy Melville, TravisMathew, Sauced BBQ & Spirits & Cosecha to its vibrant merchant roster

SAN JOSE, Calif.—May 14, 2019—Santana Row continues to attract top brands & eateries, making it the most sought-after dining and shopping scene in the Bay Area.  As Santana Row prepares to welcome Splunk in the newly developed 700 Santana Row office campus, a new generation of retail and restaurants are opening to meet the standards of Silicon Valley tastemakers.

Santana Row today announced the signing of Vince, Brandy Melville, TravisMathew and Sauced BBQ & Spirits; plus a renovation and expansion of Cosecha, formerly Consuelo’s at Santana Row. Brandy Melville, Vince and TravisMathew will offer on-trend clothing and accessories, while BBQ darling Sauced, and the under-construction eatery Cosecha will offer foodies two new vibrant restaurants; adding to the already incredibly dynamic dining scene.

Luxury retail brand Vince will bring California-inspired, everyday essentials to Santana Row in summer 2019. Vince encompasses a modern, timeless aesthetic and effortless sophistication, best known for creating elevated yet understated pieces for every day. Known for its range of luxury goods, Vince offers women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, and home fit for a global lifestyle. The collections are inspired by the brand’s California origins and embody a feeling of effortless style. Vince will debut in a 2,378 sf shop located next to the newly expanded lululemon.

Popular boutique Brandy Melville, the women’s apparel line from Italy known for its trend-setting styles with a beachy, comfortable vibe will open a 3,112-square-foot space in summer of 2019 at Santana Row. This Instagram favorite has a cult following known for its rich fabrics, fine quality and excellent prices.

Additionally, premier men’s apparel brand TravisMathew, known for leading the way in quality and lifestyle apparel with styles for both work and play, will open its first Northern California store at Santana Row.  You can find classic arcade style gaming consoles and ping pong tables in the 1,911 sf space. With a casual SoCal vibe and clothing that effortlessly transitions from the course to daily life, TravisMathew has established itself as a leading innovative brand in the sportswear world. The Santana Row location will carry their exclusive California capsule product and will open in fall 2019.

In addition to Vince, Brandy Melville and TravisMathew; Sauced BBQ & Spirits will be making its debut this year, moving into the parkside location next door to the popular Maggiano’s Little Italy. Sauced is a Southern-inspired restaurant concept influenced by modern flavor and design, founded by two cousins with a passion to bring authentic, Southern BBQ to Northern California. Besides featuring multiple Southern styles of barbecue, the restaurant touts numerous beer, wine and whiskey options. You can expect outdoor patio seating at this new, hip foodie experience opening in fall 2019.

In addition to the best-in-class operators vying for space in Santana Row, existing merchants are flourishing with opportunity to evolve and progress in response to consumer demands. Mexican bistro Consuelo’s is undergoing a major revamp and 800-square-foot expansion, re-opening as Cosecha under the same ownership. Cosecha will offer modern-inspired Mexican cuisine sourced with local ingredients in its diverse menu of wood grill plates, traditional fare and beyond. The announcement of these new restaurant openings and renovations comes on the heel of Barry’s Bootcamp, Meso Modern Mediterranean and Blue Bottle Coffee lease signings at Santana Row.

"Being on the cutting edge of mixed-use trends is in our DNA at Santana Row. We are ever-evolving and looking for ways to make room for the best-in-class brands that our customers are talking about, purchasing from and following. It is important to our strategic vision to recapture core retail spaces when sales dip and our consumers shift focus. Our connectivity to our on-site community and the 13 million annual visitors allows us a unique vantage point that separates us from big box malls and gets our customers offline and into our businesses” said Jeff Kreshek, Senior Vice President West Coast Leasing at Federal Realty Investment Trust.

With 834 homes, 50 shops, 30 restaurants, a CinéArts movie theatre, the boutique Hotel Valencia and added new developments like 700 Santana Row, Santana Row continues to evolve and thrive since its opening in 2002.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, our mission is to deliver long term, sustainable growth through investing in densely populated, affluent communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Our expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty's 98 properties include over 2,800 tenants, in approximately 23 million square feet, and over 1,800 residential units. 

Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 49 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.FederalRealty.com.

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Two new stores at MOMENT (San Pedro Square Garage)

Two new vendors are now operating in San Pedro Square. Earlier this year, 4 new retail spots were created on the first floor of the San Pedro Square Garage facing restaurant row. The spots are reserved for local entrepreneurs, preferably women-owned. The new stores are:

• Hapertas and Company opened Aug. 16, offering “classic bespoke goods for the modern gentleman.”  Owner and designer Jill Evan’s inventory includes neckties, bow ties, pocket squares, cuff links, scarves and leather goods, all hand-crafted in California.  This is Habertas’ first brick-and-mortar location and the first products for men sold at MOMENT. Online sales are at hapertasco.com.
• Empire in the Air, a community-based clothing brand, opened in early September.  The six-person creative collective will focus their shop on apparel, including shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, dresses and accessories. They will also bring in speakers and workshops.  Styles can be viewed at empireintheair.com.

Both stores will be open until at least January. Check them out next time you are in the area!

Source: SJ Economy Blog (also includes tidbits on a new Salon and Spread Deli coming Downtown)