J. Crew Factory and Gap Factory Store Coming to Westgate

Federal Realty--same owner as Santana Row--has already done quite a bit to overhaul Westgate with a big remodel, new stores, and new restaurants. Now they are bringing two more anchor tenants: J.Crew Factory and the Gap Factory Store. Both will fact Saratoga Avenue and should be ready for business by Spring 2015.

Westgate will also be getting Carter's and Oshkosh B'Gosh in a combined store next to Target. For more info have a gander at the press release below.

San Jose, CA (August 8, 2014) – Federal Realty Investment Trust is bringing the outlet center, traditionally located in outlying areas, to the city with a strong mix of top discount stores.  J. Crew and Gap are among two retailers opening outlet stores in the revamped Westgate Center next year. They join Nike Factory Store, which opened in February, and Skechers Factory Outlet, which opened in July.

“This is a new direction for Westgate Center,” said Jeff Kreshek, Federal Realty’s vice president for West Coast Leasing. “Our customer is looking for quality, variety and diversity; a product mix that outlet shops combined with full price brands can deliver.”
Following an extensive $15 million renovation and the addition of shops such as Nike Factory Store, J. Crew Factory and Gap Factory Store, the center will provide an innovative, exciting and accessible experience for customers.

J. Crew Factory is scheduled to open in spring 2015. The approximately 5,750 square-foot store facing Saratoga Avenue will feature ready-to-wear pieces, boldly colored basics and casual classics for men and women. This family-friendly new addition will also feature “crewcuts,” the brand's coveted children's line offering "mini-me" looks in sizes 2 to 14.

Westgate Center has also scored a Gap Factory Store, scheduled to open in spring 2015. Gap Factory Store will be a 10,910 square-foot store fronting Saratoga Avenue next to Old Navy. In addition, Carter's and Oshkosh B'Gosh will open a combined 9,137 square-foot store facing Saratoga Avenue, next to Target.

“As anchor stores, both Gap Outlet and J. Crew Factory will drive more shoppers to Westgate Center,” said Kreshek. “Furthermore, the broad tenant mix, as well as the mall’s location on heavily-traveled Saratoga, Hamilton and Campbell avenues in San Jose provides convenience and top brands to the densely-populated surrounding communities.”

About Westgate Center
Westgate Center, located in San Jose, California is a 645,000 square-foot community center offering a one-stop family destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. Westgate Center features over 50 shops and restaurants and is anchored by Target, Nordstrom Rack, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Nike Factory Store, Old Navy, Burlington Coat Factory, Michaels and Ross. Westgate Center is a property of Federal Realty Investment Trust www.federalrealty.com (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visit shopwestgatecenter.com.

About Federal Realty
Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, development, and redevelopment of high quality retail assets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 20 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.3% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of June 30, 2014, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.2% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 47 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT.

Clandestine Brewing Opens in San Jose

Another local brewery has opened up shop! Clandestine Brewing is located near the The Plant shopping center south of Downtown San Jose. It is also not very far away from Hermitage or Strike (beer district anyone?).

It looks like they have a great selection of craft beers that I am anxious to try out. You can get a preview below, but I would recommend checking out their website for all of the deets. Their address is 1805 Little Orchard St. Suite 124.

Source: I Heart San Jose

New DMV Coming to East San Jose

Tired of long lines at South Bay DMVs? Hopefully this will help. A new 30,000 SQFT DMV is coming to East San Jose. This will be located at 2222 Senter Road, right across the street from Costco.

Barry Swenson is building out the project and expects it to be completed in late 2014.

Source: SVBJ

Walmart Grocery Store Will Anchor Monterey Road Shopping Center

Yet another Walmart Neighborhood Market is coming to San Jose. This one will be a 50,000 SQFT anchor store at the new Sun Garden Center on Monterey Road. It is expected that it will open in Q4 of this year.

This location is near Spartan Stadium and the Plant Shopping Center. Sun Garden will also have space for a 44,576 anchor store and 4-5 smaller retail spots for restaurants or banks.

Source: SVBJ

Indian Motorcycle Opening Up Shop in San Jose

A new Indian Motorcycle dealership clocking in at 8,988 SQFT is schedule to open at 460 Meridian Avenue this summer in a space that used to host a Diddams party supply warehouse. The location will carry both new and used Indian and Victory brand bikes, parts, apparel, and will also have a service shop.

When it opens, it will be the only Indian Motorcycle franchise in San Jose and one of two in the Bay Area. The grand opening weekend is schedule for June 28-29 and they will be celebrating with food, music, prizes, and test-rides.

Source: SVBJ

On The Cusp Pop-up Shop @ Black & Brown

Shona Sanzgiri is a writer/editor from San Jose that has been commuting between New York and here for the last six months. He's trying to bring some elements from New York over here in a variety of projects. His latest one is a pop-up shop at Black & Brown on the Alameda  featuring the work of clothing designers, artists, photographers, and writers from both NYC and SJ.

Some of the items will include limited prints, photographs, clothing, accessories, and random curios & tchotchkes from places like Bombay's Thieves Bazaar, a photo-book by Diane Keaton, a napkin Harmony Korine once drew on, etc.

The pop-up shop will be open for two weeks starting March 22nd. The opening reception will run from 5pm to 8pm tomorrow and feature food & refreshments by Dena Cooks (Tunisian Table, America's Test Kitchen). For more info you can check out the On The Cusp website.

Westgate Expansion Has Broken Ground

Federal Realty (which also owns Santana Row) recently wrapped up a $15 million renovation at Westgate Center. Those upgrades were focused around improving existing space. However, they have just broken ground on another renovation project that will result in a new 14,400 SQFT retail building at the corner of Saratoga and West Campbell Avenue. This is where the RetroDome used to sit.

The new structure will have a Corner Bakery Cafe, Veggie Grill, Vitamin Shoppe, and Verizon Wireless. There is also room for a fifth tenant in the building. The Corner Bakery Cafe will be the first in San Jose. The only other Santa Clara County location is in Palo Alto. As for Veggie Grill, this is one of the hottest vegetarian restaurants on the West Coast. This will be their second Northern California location and the only other one is at Santana Row. I'm a complete carnivore and even I love this restaurant.

The project should be completed by fall. You can find the full release below.

Westgate Center Has Broken Ground Again

Offering New Retailers in Coveted Corner Spot

Four tenants signed: Corner Bakery Café, The Veggie Grill, Vitamin Shoppe and Verizon Wireless

San Jose, CA (Feb. 25, 2014) – Federal Realty Investment Trust, owners of Westgate Center, recently completed a $15 million major renovation transforming the 52-year-old mall into a one-stop destination offering family-friendly amenities and high quality retailers.

In an effort to continually improve and enhance the experience at Westgate Center, Federal Realty has announced that construction has begun on the center’s retail pad site located on the heavily traveled corner of Saratoga Avenue and West Campbell Avenue.  The ideal corner site will include the addition of four new tenants, including San Jose’s first Corner Bakery Café.

The new 14,400 sq.-foot retail building, in a highly visible spot near a popular shopping area, will also include The Veggie Grill, Vitamin Shoppe and Verizon Wireless, with space for a fifth yet-to-be-named tenant. Construction should to be completed in the fall.

Corner Bakery Café, known for its delectable Cinnamon Crème Coffee Cake and tasty meals, is opening this fall at Westgate Center.

The fast-casual restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers baked goods in a bright, family-friendly atmosphere. Prices range from 99 cents to $9.99 and choices include sandwiches, soups, pastas and breakfast specials. The menu also features kids’ selections, seasonal items, healthy fare and treats such as cookies, cakes and pies. The Westgate Center location will seat about 100 diners inside and 40 diners in an outdoor area. It is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Established in 1991, Corner Bakery Cafe was founded on a philosophy of creating a place for people to relax and gather with family and friends. For more information, go towww.cornerbakerycafe.com.

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The Veggie Grill, home of the popular “All Hail Kale” salad, serves healthy, light, vegetarian fare as well as gluten-free and soy-free items. Classic American favorites like soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches as well as creative dishes such as burritos, bowls and “Buffalo wings” are made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients.

Named one of L.A.’s “can’t miss” cheap-eats by Los Angeles magazine and best vegetarian/vegan restaurant by the Orange County Register, The Veggie Grill is scheduled to open in the fall.

For more information, go to www.veggiegrill.com.

The Vitamin Shoppe, dedicated to helping people fulfill their health and wellness needs, is a specialty retailer and direct marketer of nutritional products ranging from vitamins and minerals to nutritional supplements, herbs, sports nutrition formulas, homeopathic remedies, and health and beauty aids. The store offers more than 18,000 items from 400-plus brands. The Vitamin Shoppe at Westgate is scheduled to open this fall. For more information, go to www.vitaminshoppe.com.

Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile network operator in the U.S., is opening a retail store at Westgate where customers can shop for wireless services as well as mobile phones and accessories. Verizon will open this fall. For more information, go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Westgate Center
Westgate Center, located in San Jose, California is a 645,000 square-foot community center offering a one-stop family destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. Westgate Center features over 50 shops and restaurants and is anchored by Target, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Old Navy, Burlington Coat Factory, Nordstrom Rack, Michaels, Any Mountain and Ross. Westgate Center is a property of Federal Realty Investment Trust www.federalrealty.com (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visit shopwestgatecenter.com.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, development, and redevelopment of high quality retail assets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 20 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.8% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of December 31, 2013, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.5% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 46 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT.

Bowling Alley and 24 Hour Fitness Coming to Eastridge

Eastridge Mall is adding two new non-shopping tenants to spice up the retail mix. The first is an 18-lane Round1 bowling alley. This is a Japanese chain that is known for incorporating karaoke rooms, arcades, and billiards into their facilities. The Eastridge Round1 will be about 50,000 SQFT. The second tenant is a 24 Hour Fitness that will come in around 40,000 SQFT. Both of these will be located in the space formerly occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond and it looks like they are under construction right now.

Source: SVBJ, Hat-tip to Arnold Kwok

Vietnam Town Expanding By 186,000 SQFT

Even though there are 51 unsold retail condos in the 120-unit first phase of Vietnam Town, the owners have decided to go through with a second phase. The project will include an additional 186,000 SQFT with 141 more retail condos. These would be distributed across a total of five buildings with the average retail condo size being around 1,000 SQFT.

Part of Vietnam Town phase two will be a single 40,000 SQFT pad that could easily accommodate a grocery store. 99 Ranch Market or Lion Market have already been identified as potential candidates. There are also plans to build a parking structure on the site.

This seems like an ideal place in the middle of Little Saigon for a mixed-use village, so I'm a bit disappointing that a housing component was not included in the project. This could have become a Vietnamese Santana Row. At least doubling down on the project will increase the chances for success and turning it into a regional draw.

Source: SVBJ

Campaign to Reopen Cine Mexico Theater

The Cine Mexico Theater on Santa Clara Street opened as the Mayfair in 1949 and was once owned by Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak in the 1980s. Stephanie Chang has initiated a gofundme campaign to reopen the neglected landmark as a live music and entertainment venue. She is also proposing to reinstall a projector and show movies again as well as adding a coffeehouse, cafe, and art gallery. Stephanie is looking to raise $19,000 for the project.

For more information, just head over to the gofundme page. Thanks to Alyssa Kies for sending this in!

Wednesday Wishlist: Retail Under Highways

In Houston, one of this issues that is currently holding back developers are the highways that bifurcate the city, especially in their downtown area. Gensler (which is a SF-based firm) suggested building retail underneath Houston highways to better connect city streets divided by highways and spur development. I have seen this concept in action when I visited Tokyo many years ago. Heck, there are even whole shopping malls built underneath streets and highways there.

Building retail underneath highways and major roads could make a lot of sense for Downtown San Jose, especially where Highway 87 crosses Santa Clara Street and San Fernando Street. Eventually we will have major art installations in both of those locations, but having retail there would take it to the next level. North Almaden and 87 (leading to Little Italy) would be another great spot. I'm sure there are several potential retail sites along 280 as well.

What do you guys think?

Source: Anonymous Poster, Houston Business Journal

Hanhny - New San Jose-Based Fashion Label

Hanh Nguyen is a fashion designer that recently relocated back to San Jose. Over the past seven years she has lived in New York and Europe and designed for the labels Isaac Mizrahi, The Reformation, and Jessica Joyce. Now that Hanh is back in town, she's starting her own label called Hanhny.

You can check out the her full collection online over here, or you can head over to either the SJMade pop up shop at Valley Fair or the DSF Shop in SF (I'm sure you can guess my personal preference). If you visit the website, use the coupon code Hanhny25 to receive 25% your entire purchase. The promo expires on December 31st, and again here is the link.

Classic Loot Launches the First Mobile Fashion Accessory Boutique in the South Bay

First food trucks took the South Bay by storm, now it looks like retail is going mobile with both pop-up shops and boutiques on wheels. Classic Loot is a San Jose-based business that premiered about a year ago at a San Jose Made Event. Now they have their own truck and it looks pretty slick. To hunt down the mobile store, either follow them on twitter or check out their website over here.

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SAN JOSE, CA, – Classic Loot has gone mobile, announcing their 15 foot storefront on wheels. It's the first vintage fashion boutique truck to ever hit the streets of the South Bay area.

Classic Loot started back in December 2012 at their first San Jose Made event, vending on table set-ups and has been selling all around the bay area, Treasure Island Flea, Oakland First Friday and more.

"Do you have a store?" One of the frequent questions owner, Tam Tran is asked every time she is out vending. With influences from Los Angeles, New York, and close to home San Francisco, Classic Loot has joined the growing army of mobile retail nationwide.

ABOUT CLASSIC LOOT

Classic Loot is a San Jose based vintage, handmade jewelry and accessories online and mobile boutique business.  We go from all around the bay area and hunt, repurpose and curate the best collection of one-of-a-kind pieces. 

Cocoabella Chocolates - Awesome New Chocolate Shop at Valley Fair

Cocoabella owner Michael Freeman has traveled all over the world in search for the finest chocolates currently being produced. Well I have to say... mission accomplished. So far I have tried over 20 different kinds of their chocolates and can attest first-hand that the collection they have amassed is incredible. I don't think there is any other chocolate shop in Silicon Valley that comes close to what Cocoabella is offering at the entrance of Valley Fair's luxury wing.

In many cases, Michael would have to spend years building relationships with chocolatiers before being able to sell their chocolates. Brand image is critical to these boutique producers, so every shop a chocolatier works with has be be meticulously vetted and meet strict standards in terms of transportation, climate control, how long chocolates can be displayed before being rotated. For some distributors, Cocoabella is the only chocolate shop that carries their product in the United States.

In the shop itself, the chocolates are separated by regions: US, Canada, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and South America. There are about 150 varieties of chocolates that they carry, no two are the same. You have everything from cognac truffles, to candied figs stuffed with lemon peel and almonds, to almond praline mushroom caps. The list is endless and there are no "toothpaste" flavors here, every fruit-infused chocolate I tried was surprisingly amazing (these are typically my least favorite chocolates). If you want to try items that are unique, Cocoabella even had a blue-cheese based chocolate and several with exotic spices and chili-peppers.

If you are a fan of hot chocolate, their milk chocolate drink was the best I have ever had in my life. It's a blend of three different kinds of premium chocolate and is well worth a detour any time you're in Valley Fair.

I also have to mention that the staff was incredibly helpful. Their depth of knowledge on each piece of chocolate was impressive, and you can tell that they loved what they did and were passionate about their product (you would hope so, given they selling awesome chocolates from around the world).

For this level of quality, the prices are quite reasonable. You typically end up paying $2-3 per piece, which is not much more than what Godiva charges. You can either hand-pick your chocolates, buy pre-packaged boxes with seasonal themes, or put in an order through their website.

Cocoabella Chocolates is located on the first floor of Valley Fair near the Center Court and neighboring Hugo Boss, Banana Republic, and Wolford.

Happy Birthday San Jose (Courtesy of Mezlan)

Mezlan is a high-quality men's shoe store that recently opened in Valley Fair. However, they have done something I have never seen any other local store do, and that is produce a great documentary about San Jose's history. The video below is only about 8 minutes long, and is well worth your time! It's a fantastic tribute to San Jose's 236th Birthday.

Clearly this is a store that is looking to become a strong part of the community and is well-worth checking out on those merits alone (I do have the say their shoes look pretty nice as well). For more information on Mezlan, check out their website over here. And again, please watch the video below. This is a great summery of our City's history.

Indochino Pop-up Shop coming Downtown!

Indochino is an online menswear store that sells suits, tuxedos, and accessories. To show off their latest collection, they are setting up a pop-up shop right in the heart of Downtown (75 East Santa Clara, between 2nd and 3rd Street). There will be a tailor on hand and every suit purchase comes with an Art of Shaving kit in honor of Movember. For more info, check out the press release below.

I really hope we see more pop-ups like this in the future. These are exactly what we need to fill up vacant space until we get more MUJI's and San Pedro Square Markets Downtown. Side-note, Ike's Sandwiches is coming soon to this very same building and ISO: Beers will be across the street yet another neighbor inside of 75 East Santa Clara. This block is going to be completely different 6 months from now.


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Indochino Custom Menswear Debuts in San Jose

with Traveling Tailor Nov 18-24

VANCOUVER BC- November 6, 2013 - Indochino – the leader in custom online menswear – is coming to San Jose for the first time after a series of successful stores in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.  The Traveling Tailor pop-up store lands in the city November 18^th at 75 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 150. The temporary retail experience gives men the chance to get custom suits, shirts and outerwear for a fraction of the price of bespoke.

“Indochino is all about helping guys look and feel great,” explains Kyle Vucko, Indochino Co-Founder and CEO. “I started the company to create the best retail experience for guys – an ecommerce site that allows customization with ease. Traveling Tailor evolves that concept by taking the experience offline, for men who want to meet with a stylist, feel the fabrics and talk through their options.”

Get the deluxe experience with one-on-one personalized shopping – VIP treatment that results in great fitting, stylish clothing that men want to wear every day. Men who book a 30-minute appointment will be guided through the measurement and customization process. Suits start at $449, shirts start at $79 and all customizations are free.

Traveling Tailor San Jose will be located at 75 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 150 from November 18^th to 24^th. Hours are: 8am-8pm weekdays, Saturdays 9am-8pmand Sundays 10am-7pm. Appointments can be made at:http://www.indochino.com/traveling-tailor/sanjose

In honor of Movember, over the course of San Jose’s Traveling Tailor, men who purchase a suit will be treated to a complimentary Art of Shaving kit.

About Indochino

Founded in 2007 in Vancouver, BC, Indochino is leading the retail revolution by providing custom clothing to the modern man who wants to look good and live well. From button stance to pocket slant, lapel width to vent slits--every suit is made to individual measurements and tastes. To learn more about Indochino, visit www.indochino.com. To receive updates on Indochino's latest collections, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/indochino or on Twitter and Instagram at: @indochino.

Valley Fair Expansion and New Stores

It looks like that much talked about Valley Fair expansion originally detailed in 2009 is finally moving forward. The recession put a stop to Westfield's ambitious plans to add 650,000 SQFT of retail space, bringing the mall to over 2 million SQFT and making it far and away the largest mall in Northern California. In late October, Westfield applied for a building permit to build a 6-story, 1.4 million SQFT parking structure at the corner Monroe and Forest Avenue, which is presumably to prepare for it's expansion.

Inside the mall, they are continuing to shoot for higher-end retailers. In 2014, Giorgio Armani will be opening a store. Exclusive brands like Rabeanco, Miu Miu, Prada, David Yurman, and Ferragamo have already opened up shop. Others like Banana Republic and Brookstone are upgrading to flagship stores. They even remodeled what was already a pretty nice food court to better cater towards shoppers with expensive tastes. It will be really interesting to see what this mall ends up looking like after the next few years.

Source: Anonymous Poster, SVBJ

The new Prada store at Valley Fair

Cocoabella Chocolates Opens Third Chocolate Boutique in Valley Fair

Valley Fair's collection of exclusive/premier/boutique stores continues to expand dramatically. The latest store to join the club is Cocoabella Chocolates--which only has two other locations and procures rare chocolates from around the world. They will be located right beside the new luxury wing and I have a feeling they will be doing really well in this mall. See the full press release below.

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San Jose, CA—Cocoabella Chocolates, curator of small batch, artisanal chocolates from around the world, brings their founder’s hand-selected pieces closer to its South Bay clientele by opening the brand’s third chocolate boutique in the Luxury Wing on Level 1 at Westfield Valley Fair, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

 

Their award-winning chocolatiers’ works have been served at the Belgian Royal Palace, Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant in London, the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy, at The Ritz-Carlton, and Four Seasons hotel dining rooms around the world.  Cocoabella Chocolates is also the only retailer in the country authorized to carry Thomas Haas truffles and Pierre Marcolini bars since 2012.

Years of careful curation and commitment to quality have earned Cocoabella Chocolates the privilege to receive extremely limited quantity batches fresh from the artisans’ kitchens. Each chocolate is flown to San Francisco within hours of its creation.  “Not only that, when a client orders from us for delivery through warm weather, we protect their gift with cooling packs and insulation to ensure they arrive at peak quality. I want to share the experience of tasting that perfect piece of chocolate while traveling the great chocolate regions of Europe.” says Cocoabella Chocolates CEO Michael Freeman.

 

Cocoabella Chocolates’ Westfield Valley Fair boutique, located adjacent to the shopping center’s Luxury Wing entrance, is now open.

About CocoaBella Chocolates

CocoaBella Chocolates is the leading retailer of small batch, artisanal chocolates from around the world. Founded by Michael Freeman in 2004, he has traveled the world to assemble the finest chocolates and CocoaBella Chocolates now offer more than 180 different chocolates from 18 chocolatiers and 5 countries at two San Francisco retail locations and online at www.cocoabella.com. 

Santana Row Updates

Two more stores are opening at Santana Row that you won't find anywhere else in the area. Scotch & Soda opening their first Silicon Valley store at the row on October 14th and C. Wonder is opening their first Northern California store on November 1st. For more info, check out the press release below. Also note the statistic: Santana Row gets 11 million annual visitors each year! Impressive.

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A New Generation of Santana Row

Fresh, New-to-Market Concepts Emerge and Shake Up the Retail Scene at

Silicon Valley’s Destination Center

San Jose, CA – Fresh, exciting and first-in-San Jose retailers have chosen Santana Row as their South Bay home. It’s what’s new and now in the fashion arena with the stores opening just in time for the holiday shopping season.

“A New Generation of Santana Row," is a fitting description for the lineup of new retailers that include coveted specialty store Scotch & Soda, which opened on Oct. 14. The Amsterdam-based brand offers high-quality, rich-in-detail clothing and accessories for men and women.

Opening its first Northern California location on Nov. 1 is C.Wonder, offering a wide assortment of versatile and spirited clothing, jewelry, accessories, housewares, personal electronics and giftware.

They join Madewell, Splendid, Calypso St. Barth and kate spade new york in giving shoppers a choice of nationally-prominent brands in one concentrated location.

“People come here to see what’s new and fresh,” said Collette Navarrette, director of marketing for Santana Row. She notes that the center’s strong foot traffic is directly related to the evolving retail mix. “We keep reinventing the property by bringing first-to-market retailers to San Jose.”

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, Santana Row’s new emphasis is bringing in retailers that offer a fresh perspective to fashion and style. Santana Row continues to evolve with 11 million annual visitors, over 1,500 residents, 2,300 employees and new-to-market retailers; maintaining its fashion-forward and vibrant personality.  

About Santana Row
Santana Row a 1.5 million square foot mixed used development in the heart of San Jose, California, is Silicon Valley's premier destination for shopping,
dining, living and nightlife. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, parks and plazas, Santana Row features over 70 retail shops, more than 20 acclaimed restaurants, a 212-room boutique hotel and six-screen movie theatre. In addition to the dynamic retail collection, Santana Row offers 622 residential units featuring a fitness center, rooftop pool and resort-living accommodations, and 65,000 square feet of office space at 300 Santana Row, its newest office address. Santana Row is a property of www.federalrealty.com (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visit www.santanarow.com.

 
About Federal Realty
Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, and redevelopment of high quality retail real estate in the country’s best markets.  As of September 30, 2012, Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contained approximately 19.1 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.1% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of September 30, 2012, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.1% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 45 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For more information, please visit www.federalrealty.com.

Halston Coming to Valley Fair

Valley Fair is about to get one of the very first Halston retail stores. This particular designer is known for "retro" styles based in the '60s and '70s. What makes this significant is that there are only two Halston Heritage standalone stores in existence, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles. This would make San Jose it's third location and the only announced store for Northern California.

Valley Fair is turning into a destination for these exclusive hard-to-find brands. It's days as a typical suburban mall are numbered, especially with their future expansion that will bring many more unique brands, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and a Santana Row-ish outdoor area.

Source: SVBJ