Santana Row Swapping Best Buy with Life Time Fitness

Best Buy has served as a staple at Santana Row for 23 years, offering electronics and gadgets to shoppers since the retail center's early days. The store at 3090 Stevens Creek Blvd will close its doors on February 28, marking the end of its lease. This change reflects the company's routine evaluation of locations as leases expire.

Up to 60 employees may face layoffs starting in March if they do not secure positions elsewhere in the company. Best Buy plans to assist affected workers by offering roles at nearby San Jose stores. The company operates several other locations in the area, providing options for continuity.

The closure ends a chapter that began around the completion of Santana Row. Best Buy arrived during the second phase of development, joining as one of two big-box additions alongside the Container Store. This era helped shape the vibrant shopping destination that draws visitors from across the region.

The good news is that the two-story space will not be empty for long. Life Time fitness is stepping into the 52,000-square-foot building. This luxury health and wellness center will feature exercise equipment, group studios, children's classes, wet spas, a cafe, and a work lounge.

For more information on Life Time, visit https://www.lifetime.life.

New Planet Fitness Location Opens in San Jose

Planet Fitness expands its presence in the South Bay with a new gym opening on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 1462 Monterey Road. This spot takes over the former Teletron electronics store within the Sun Garden shopping center, anchored by Walmart and home to tenants like Big 5 Sporting Goods, Jack in the Box, and Chevron. Operated by Taymax Group, which runs over 160 locations across North America including 55 in California, the gym aims to serve the active San Jose community with accessible fitness options.

The nearly 13,000-square-foot facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with staff on site around the clock. Members find a range of strength and cardio equipment, a dedicated high-intensity interval training area, spa features, massage options, and tanning beds. Free WiFi and TVs with wireless connections to cardio machines add convenience for workouts.

Taymax Group focuses on long-term community integration, bringing high-value fitness to local residents. This addition strengthens San Jose's wellness scene, offering a welcoming space for all fitness levels to build strength together.

New members can join with $1 down and then $15 per month, or opt for the Black Card at $1 down and $24.99 monthly, which includes spa access and guest privileges.

Source: SVBJ

Club Studio Fitness Gym Enhances El Paseo de Saratoga in San Jose

Fitness International recently secured a lease for about 30,000 square feet at El Paseo de Saratoga, paving the way for a new Club Studio Fitness gym in the shopping center. Located at 910 to 1000 El Paseo de Saratoga, next to the AMC Saratoga 14 theater, this addition fills a space previously occupied by short-term fitness tenants that have since closed. The move aligns with the company's expansion under its LA Fitness and City Sports Club brands, offering San Jose residents modern workout facilities in a convenient spot at the corner of Saratoga Avenue and Lawrence Expressway.

Sand Hill Property Company oversees the ongoing redevelopment of the mixed-use neighborhood, which includes plans for new housing alongside retail growth. In the past three years, the center has welcomed 16 new merchants, with 10 more on the horizon, including anchors like Whole Foods Market.

Source: The Mercury News

Santana Row gym and nail salon now providing outdoor services

Santa Clara County may be in the "purple" zone when it comes to California COVID restrictions (the worst one), but that isn't stopping two Santana Row businesses from providing approved services outdoors. Both Barry's Bootcamp and Lavande Nail Spa are now open. Given that it will be at least 3 weeks before indoor gyms and nail spas are allowed in San Jose, these may be your best options.

Indoor restaurants are also off the table for at least 3 weeks, but Santana Row has shut down several streets to expand outdoor dining considerably. It's perhaps ground zero for some sort of normalcy in the South Bay. Many indoor stores have also reopened with a 25% capacity limitation.