New Sprouts Farmer's Market opening near Downtown

At the San Jose Market Center on Coleman, a new Sprouts is taking over the space formerly occupied by Office Depot at the edge of Downtown San Jose. The center is currently anchored by Target, World Market, and a Trader Joe's. So this would be the 4th store with groceries in the shopping center.

The new Sprouts will clock in at 20,767 SQFT and will be the 5th location in San Jose. 

While I'm always happy to see more grocery options close to our Downtown core, I can't help but to think that the old "The Market by Safeway" space at the bottom of The 88 would have been perfect for Sprouts. That spot was 24,000 SQFT and right in the middle of a growing population looking for grocery options within walking distance. Beggars can't be choosers, so I'll still chalk this up as a win. 

Source: SVBJ

New Vietnamese Supermarket in Berryessa

Many Downtown locals were saddened when the Dai Thanh grocery store was closed in order to make way for new development. Fortunately, the popular Vietnamese grocer is coming back with a vengeance. Not only did they open a much larger store at 2040 Tully last June, but they have just taken over a former Lucky's space in Berryessa. While the Downtown store was only 10,000 SQFT, the new Berryessa location is 33,000 SQFT and employs 50 people. 

This is quite a significant expansion for what was once a modest immigrant family-owned business. The purchases were funded by a $17 million sale of the SoFA location, which is destined to become a high-rise residential project in the future.

The new Dai Thanh grocery store opened on January 17--just in time for Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. You can find it at 1641 North Capital Avenue in San Jose.

Source: The Merc

Downtown San Jose Safeway to close

Unfortunately, The Safeway market in Downtown San Jose will close by June 14th. This was one of the first "Market" concepts that Safeway built and is the most central grocery store in Downtown San Jose. Grocery Outlet, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods are all in the periphery of Downtown San Jose and are difficult to walk to.

One of the key reasons appears to be a situation with free parking. The parking structure beneath The 88 was owned by the former Redevelopment Agency and the city offered free 2 hour parking for Safeway patrons. Once the lot was sold per legal requirements of the now defunct agency, the city was no longer able to offer free parking and it put the Safeway at a significant disadvantage.

If you dig a little deeper, I don't think the real reason is parking but that there are still not enough people living in Downtown San Jose. Many towers are under construction and once they are built hopefully we will be able to support a Safeway-sized market with or without free parking.

It will be interesting to see how long the space takes to get leased and what will replace the Safeway. It could be an opportunity for something even better, we'll see.

Source: SVBJ

Whole Foods San Jose Grand Opening Today

The other day I had the opportunity to eat dinner at one of the most anticipated new spots in Downtown San Jose. This place, known for its food, also has a microbrewery and tap-room on site. Today, December 9th, is the official GRAND OPENING!

Of course, I'm talking about the new Whole Foods on the Alameda!

As part of a media tour, they served us several delicious courses of food that you can easily find within the store itself. But I'm jumping ahead.

Here's a rundown of what I saw, heard, etc.. 

Parking:

It's been awhile since I've driven past Stockton/The Alameda area. I was driving down Stockton and completely passed up the parking lot entrance (oops) - so a quick u-turn later, I was back in business.

Decor:

The place is huge and it's quite pretty from the outside. It's not a stuffy looking grocery store. Colorful and modern design elements are everywhere. They used a lot of locally manufactured, reclaimed, and recycled materials to decorate the store. I loved it! 

Meat Department:

We learned about their rating system (displayed above the counter) -- the higher the number, the better that the animal was treated. Nice to know. 

Also, they have a big ole container full of bacon. 

Cheese Department:

They have many different kinds to choose from, and it is nice to know that if you are curious they'll bust one open for you on the spot and give you a taste. I picked up one package of a cranberry-orange cheese. I neglected to ask what the heck do I eat with that? Or what do I prepare it with? Next time I will ask.. and someone will tell me. Because that's how it works. ;)

The Berliners:

Custom-filled donuts made on the spot. Just for you. Maybe for your friends, if they're lucky.

Pizza:

Their official pizza dude (Matthew Driscoll) is on the U.S. Pizza Team. Look at him go!

Then I tasted their pizza - super yum. Did you see that fancy shmancy brick pizza oven too? Game nights are going to be filled with people buying some pizza or a hockey-themed (cute) sandwich and heading up the patio for a beer. (WHAT? Beer you say?! Keep reading...)

Microbrewery:

San Jose is home to the company's first on-site microbrewery and tap room in California called Mission Creek Brewing Company. 

"Mission Creek Brewing Company is located in a two story, 5,600 square-foot 'outbuilding' separate from the main store itself. The ground floor houses coffee and fresh juice bars, along with some seating. The second floor is home to the tap room, with eight bar seats, a birds-eye view of the brewery, and access to outdoor seating for around 75. A retractable roof and outdoor heating protect guests in inclement weather."

Neato, right? Here's the view from the patio.

As part of the tour/media day, we were treated to a three-course dinner (or .. is it five when you count the starter and dessert? I clearly don't have to many "course" meals…) The spread of tasty nibbles were delicious and the decor on the tables quite nice!

I have to say, everything was delicious. Not twisting my arm to say it at all. That's one of the things I really like about Whole Foods. If I was out running errands at one of my old jobs, I might find myself near the Hamilton location. I'd run in to their prepared foods section and try not to go too crazy buying things. They have a TON of delicious things to try. So I knew going in I was going to be enjoying my meal.

And lastly, we got a little sweet goodie bag with various products they carry in the store:

Now, some people flat out won't go to Whole Foods because products are not the cheapest in the land. No, they're not. You will be paying a decent amount for some products. But, don't let that stop you from ever going there. Buy some treats, try something new that nobody else carries. Want to make a nice gift basket for someone? This is a perfect place for that. Do you work downtown and want to grab a bite to eat - like I mentioned above, their prepared foods department (bakery, pizza and sandwiches, etc) have a ton of delicious options. Treat yourself! Or maybe you run a business nearby and you need to get some food for a client coming in for a lunch meeting? Swing by there and pick up a spread. If it's not your go-to grocery store, it certainly can be a place to stop by occasionally. Don't rule it out!

I'm hungry now just thinking about all the goodies.. so I'm gonna munch on some of my lemon pistachios.. or maybe a carrot cake cupcake.. 

Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/sanjose

Facebook: facebook.com/WFMSanJose.    

Instagram: @WholeFoodsMarketSanJose

ALSO!

From Dec. 11-24, the store is hosting “The Great Holiday Giveaway,” offering one gift with a value up to $200, via its Facebook page and http://thegreatholidaygiveaway.com.

Update: The Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Opens on December 9th!

The highly anticipated Whole Foods on The Alameda finally has a grand opening date! Mark your calendars for December 10th December 9th. Update: the grand opening has been pushed forward by a day! That is when both the grocery store and the two-story microbrewery/tap room open up. This will be the very first Whole Foods with an integrated microbrewery.

The store is grocery going to be 35,000 SQFT while the brewery building will clock in at 5,600 SQFT. There is a patio area connecting the two buildings which you can see in the photo below. The brewery will also have a coffee and fresh juice venue and a restaurant-style menu. 15 taps will be curated by an in-house brewmaster, which will host a wide variety of seasonal and local beers in addition to the signature brews made in house.

Whole Foods is also pursuing LEED certifications for the store given its many environmental initiatives. High recycled content bricks, reclaimed red cedar, and an onsite heat and power plant were all part of construction. 38 new trees were also planted on the street and parking lot, there are 4 electric vehicle charging stations, and low water plantings were used in order to reduce water usage.

This could really be a catalyst for The Alameda and West Downtown by the SAP Center. This opening gives residents within a few miles easy access to a high-end grocery store. This has been many years in the making--finally a Downtown Whole Foods is coming to fruition!

Source: Whole Foods Newsroom

Thanks to Alex Shoor and Andy Wasklewicz for sending this in!

WHOLE FOODS MARKET® OPENS NEW SAN JOSE STORE ON DECEMBER 9
New location on The Alameda features environmental innovation and company’s first in-store brewery in California

Emeryville, Calif. (Sept. 10, 2014) – A new 35,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market store will open on December 9th at 777 The Alameda (at Stockton) in San Jose, California. This is the second Whole Foods Market location in San Jose, and the 42nd in Northern California. The store will bring an estimated 150 new jobs to San Jose.

This new store will be home to the first in-store microbrewery and tap room for Whole Foods Market in California. The two-story, 5,600 square-foot brewery building will also house a coffee and fresh juice venue, as well as offering plenty of seating and a restaurant-style menu. An in-house brewmaster will create signature beers for the tap room, and a total of 15 taps will offer a wide variety of seasonal and local brews, as well as some nationally-available favorites.

Whole Foods Market San Jose is also innovating with this store via environmental initiatives. The company is pursuing LEED certification for the store, and this project is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient. Locally manufactured, reclaimed, recycled and low- to non-emitting materials are being used in construction including reclaimed Western Red Cedar siding, high recycled content tile from Fireclay (based locally), Forest Stewardship Council certified decking, and high recycled content bricks made in Sacramento. An onsite Combined Heat and Power plant will provide continuous electric and thermal power, reducing the store’s dependence on the public grid by around 90 percent. This is also one of only a few grocery stores in the nation that will use nearly 100% natural refrigerants by relying on a state-of-the-art CO2 refrigeration system.

Additional environmental features include:

38 new trees planted on the street and in the parking lot and plaza
Street light upgrade to energy-efficient  fixtures
Bio-filtration/retention for on-site storm water management
Four electric vehicle charging stations
Native Grasses and Wildflowers support local habitat
Low Water Plantings and drip irrigation reduce water usage
Jeff Giardinelli, who formerly ran Whole Foods Market’s Fresno store, has been hired as Store Team Leader. Michelle Hohmeier oversees local partnerships, sponsorships and charitable giving as the store’s Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader.

“We believe that while more and more people may be shopping online for groceries, there’s nothing that can replace the experience of sharing a great food destination with your friends. That’s why this new San Jose store is truly designed as a community gathering space,” said Giardinelli. “We’re hoping folks will stop by for a beer or a pizza on the way to or from a Sharks game, or that they’ll enjoy lunch in the breezeway. We’ve got plenty of space and are looking forward to serving this community with the highest-quality foods.”

As it brings redevelopment to the abandoned site within the Diridon Station Area Plan, the store will help create a dense, more walkable neighborhood. Five Percent Days, Nickels for Nonprofits, and food and fund drives will add to the store’s community support initiatives. Customers will find many local products on the shelves, too, as part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to supporting local makers and growers.

More information on the brewery, local vendors, community partnerships and store features is forthcoming. For updates, customers can follow the store at facebook.com/WFMSanJose.

The Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Opens on December 9th!

The highly anticipated Whole Foods on The Alameda finally has a grand opening date! Mark your calendars for December 10th December 9th. Update: the grand opening has been pushed forward by a day! That is when both the grocery store and the two-story microbrewery/tap room open up. This will be the very first Whole Foods with an integrated microbrewery.

The store is grocery going to be 35,000 SQFT while the brewery building will clock in at 5,600 SQFT. There is a patio area connecting the two buildings which you can see in the photo below. The brewery will also have a coffee and fresh juice venue and a restaurant-style menu. 15 taps will be curated by an in-house brewmaster, which will host a wide variety of seasonal and local beers in addition to the signature brews made in house.

Whole Foods is also pursuing LEED certifications for the store given its many environmental initiatives. High recycled content bricks, reclaimed red cedar, and an onsite heat and power plant were all part of construction. 38 new trees were also planted on the street and parking lot, there are 4 electric vehicle charging stations, and low water plantings were used in order to reduce water usage.

This could really be a catalyst for The Alameda and West Downtown by the SAP Center. This opening gives residents within a few miles easy access to a high-end grocery store. This has been many years in the making--finally a Downtown Whole Foods is coming to fruition!

Source: Whole Foods Newsroom

Thanks to Alex Shoor and Andy Wasklewicz for sending this in!

WHOLE FOODS MARKET® OPENS NEW SAN JOSE STORE ON DECEMBER 9
New location on The Alameda features environmental innovation and company’s first in-store brewery in California

Emeryville, Calif. (Sept. 10, 2014) – A new 35,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market store will open on December 9th at 777 The Alameda (at Stockton) in San Jose, California. This is the second Whole Foods Market location in San Jose, and the 42nd in Northern California. The store will bring an estimated 150 new jobs to San Jose.

This new store will be home to the first in-store microbrewery and tap room for Whole Foods Market in California. The two-story, 5,600 square-foot brewery building will also house a coffee and fresh juice venue, as well as offering plenty of seating and a restaurant-style menu. An in-house brewmaster will create signature beers for the tap room, and a total of 15 taps will offer a wide variety of seasonal and local brews, as well as some nationally-available favorites.

Whole Foods Market San Jose is also innovating with this store via environmental initiatives. The company is pursuing LEED certification for the store, and this project is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient. Locally manufactured, reclaimed, recycled and low- to non-emitting materials are being used in construction including reclaimed Western Red Cedar siding, high recycled content tile from Fireclay (based locally), Forest Stewardship Council certified decking, and high recycled content bricks made in Sacramento. An onsite Combined Heat and Power plant will provide continuous electric and thermal power, reducing the store’s dependence on the public grid by around 90 percent. This is also one of only a few grocery stores in the nation that will use nearly 100% natural refrigerants by relying on a state-of-the-art CO2 refrigeration system.

Additional environmental features include:

38 new trees planted on the street and in the parking lot and plaza
Street light upgrade to energy-efficient  fixtures
Bio-filtration/retention for on-site storm water management
Four electric vehicle charging stations
Native Grasses and Wildflowers support local habitat
Low Water Plantings and drip irrigation reduce water usage
Jeff Giardinelli, who formerly ran Whole Foods Market’s Fresno store, has been hired as Store Team Leader. Michelle Hohmeier oversees local partnerships, sponsorships and charitable giving as the store’s Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader.

“We believe that while more and more people may be shopping online for groceries, there’s nothing that can replace the experience of sharing a great food destination with your friends. That’s why this new San Jose store is truly designed as a community gathering space,” said Giardinelli. “We’re hoping folks will stop by for a beer or a pizza on the way to or from a Sharks game, or that they’ll enjoy lunch in the breezeway. We’ve got plenty of space and are looking forward to serving this community with the highest-quality foods.”

As it brings redevelopment to the abandoned site within the Diridon Station Area Plan, the store will help create a dense, more walkable neighborhood. Five Percent Days, Nickels for Nonprofits, and food and fund drives will add to the store’s community support initiatives. Customers will find many local products on the shelves, too, as part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to supporting local makers and growers.

More information on the brewery, local vendors, community partnerships and store features is forthcoming. For updates, customers can follow the store at facebook.com/WFMSanJose.

The Health Trust Launches Good. To Go. Initiative: Corner Stores Celebrate Healthy Makeovers

The Health Trust, its partners, and elected officials will celebrate the launch of the Good. To Go. 

initiative and showcase the first "conversion" of a San Jose corner store on September 17^th, 2014,10am-11am.  Emit Mini Mart is the first local food retailer to convert part of its floor space to provide fresh, fun and healthy food to a wide array of San Jose residents. See photos and descriptions of Good. To Go. Corner store conversions at our Facebook page.

This is a fundamental shift away from the increasing health hazards of processed, sugary foods delivered to the nation’s kids. We expect to have local elected officials on hand, as well as local Latino radio personalities. Good. To Go. is also part our overall effort to provide healthy food to deprived neighborhoods via Fresh Carts. That effort won The Health Trust The Google Bay Area Impact Challenge in June 2014. 

Many San Jose neighborhoods rely on local corner stores and mini marts for their food purchases – businesses where snack foods and sugary beverages are plentiful while fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce.  The Health Trust Good. To Go. initiative is changing this by increasing the number of places where fresh and healthy foods can be conveniently and affordably purchased and, equally importantly, by marketing these new “fun, fast, fresh” foods as a superior competitor to packaged convenience foods.  Emit Mini Mart is one of dozens of stores participating in the initiative through healthy makeovers.

Who: The Health Trust CEO Frederick J. Ferrer, Damian Trujillo, members of San Jose City Council, members of Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, participating Healthy Corner Store owners, Fresh Carts vendors, Good. To Go. partner organizations
When: September 17^th, 2014, 10am-11am
Where:  Emit Mini Mart, 1492 Almaden Road, San Jose, CA 95125

About Healthy Corner Stores The Healthy Corner Store campaign is being launched this year by Hispanic Chamber of Commerce- Silicon Valley (HCCSV) to provide equipment, upgrades, training, marketing materials, and business development assistance to store owners who agree to carry fresh produce and other healthy “grab-n-go” items. Forty stores will be converted over two years with help from HCCSV’s bilingual business advisors and managers, The Food Trust, Salter Mitchell, and The Health Trust.   For more information, visit http://healthtrust.org/our-work/eat-well.

About Good. To Go.Good. To Go. is a community-based campaign aimed at increasing San Jose residents’ purchase of produce and healthy foods.  The campaign is organized through a network of on-the-ground, trusted community vendors, including corner store retailers, Fresh Cart mobile produce vendors, and urban farmers. Participating vendors receive branded materials, marketing assistance, and media coverage to drive consumer demand for the new “fun, fast, fresh” items atGood. To Go. outlets. For more information, visit the Good. To Go.Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gd2go.

About The Health TrustThe Health Trust is a nonprofit foundation that provides grants, services and advocacy to support its vision of Silicon Valley as the healthiest region in America through its three initiatives – Healthy Living, Healthy Eating, and Healthy Aging. The Health Trust Healthy Eating Initiative works to increase access to healthy foods through policy and system change. The Health Trust won Google’s Bay Area Impact Challenge in June for its proposal to create new distribution channels for affordable produce in Santa Clara County, receiving $500,000 to distribute 50,000 pounds of produce to 10,000 low-income residents in Santa Clara Valley.  For more information, visitwww.healthtrust.org.

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.

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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.

Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Updates

Last week at City Hall there was community meeting to go over the new Whole Foods breaking ground in 2013 on the corner of The Alameda and Stockton. It sounds like there was some push-back from the community on a long corrugated steel wall that would face the Alameda and have no windows. As you might guess, having a giant empty wall on a major thoroughfare is not ideal for vibrancy on the street. The good news is that the design process is still in progress and there is time for revisions.

Now, for some really good news. There will be a two-story building anchoring the corner of The Alameda and Stockton that will contain a brew pub and restaurant. This will be the very first brewery to be a part of a Whole Foods and the plan is for it to continue to stay open late even after the grocery store closes. There will also be a patio between this building and the main building, designed as an area where the community can gather. Parking should not be a problem with 141 spaces in the back (will be interesting to see how they prevent people going to the HP Pavilion from parking here).

The entire project should be done by 2014, which I have a feeling will be a banner year for Downtown.

Source: The Merc

Downtown San Jose Bags Grocery Outlet

An anchor retail spot next to City Hall has been leased! Grocery Outlet is filling the void that Albertsons and Su Vianda left behind at 272 E. Santa Clara Street. They are signing a 10 year lease on the 24,000sqft space and plan to open as soon as the end of 2012.

Having easy access to groceries is a key selling point to getting more residents and residential developments Downtown. By the end of 2012, The San Pedro Square Market will also become a viable grocer since it will have a butcher shop, cheese shop, and potentially a bakery in addition to Veggie Box (which is stellar by the way) and two farmer's markets a week. Then in 2014 the long wait for Whole Foods will finally come to an end. 

With four anchor grocers Downtown (five if you include Trader Joe's in the San Jose Market Center), we'll be in great shape for residential expansion.

Source: SJBJ

Fresh & Easy Coming Downtown, Whole Foods Not Far Behind

The good news train continues to roll. Fresh & Easy will now definitely be coming to Downtown San Jose. I finally visited one in Sunnyvale, and I find it a very similar concept to Trader Joe's. I think it will be hugely beneficial for Downtown. Even if you're not a fan, you have to admit it will help clean up the area Albertons/Su Vianda left behind and help keep the Market's prices low. A second Fresh & Easy will also be coming to North San Jose in the new @First complex.

In addition, we finally got confirmation that Whole Foods will continue to open a 30,000sqft store on the Alameda right on the edge of Downtown. You'll have to wait a few year before they open their doors, but at least we know it's coming. More info can be found here, and thanks to everyone that sent in this news!

Fresh & Easy May be Coming Downtown!

This could be the news of the month if it comes to fruition. The retail anchor spot formerly occupied by Su Vianda (and Albertsons before that) has been vacant for well over a year. Now Fresh & Easy--a new market to the Bay Area similar to Trader Joe's--may be filling the void. This would be a tremendous resource for San Jose residents and visitors. They also have a large selection of ready-to-eat options, which is not a strong suit for The Market at the moment. As Matt mentions below, another huge added benefit would be if they are able to keep the general area clean. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one!

Fresh & Easy in Downtown San Jose?

from San Jose Metblogs by Matt Bruensteiner

I haven’t seen any public announcement yet, but “Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets” has requested a city permit for beer and wine sales at 272 East Santa Clara Street in San Jose. That’s the former Albertsen’s /

Lucky’s / Su Vianda location next door to City Hall.

If this works out, it will be a great shopping option for downtown dwellers. Fresh & Easy has a kind of different business model: They have a lot of own-branded items like Trader Joe’s, but they tend to focus more on prepared items like salads and sandwiches rather than the packaged items that dominate TJ’s. In addition to ready-to-eat, they also have a pretty much complete line of other kitchen basics including fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats. They don’t have the selection of a full-size suburban mega-market, but they cover every-day needs.

They’ll be in direct competition with Safeway’s The Market a few blocks away, but they’ll have the advantage of a surface-level parking lot. If they do one thing to improve the streetscape on Santa Clara Street, though, it will be to keep that parking lot clean, which previous owners have never done.

Here’s looking forward to another shopping choice in downtown.

Downtown Safeway Photos

It looks like the upscale Safeway called "The Market" in downtown San Jose is really coming along. I managed to sneak a few photos while walking by and you can make out a sushi bar (the Rivermark Safeway in Santa Clara has one of these) and a Tully's coffee stand.  Also, it looks like 4 different elevators will service the store. Two of them are off to the side and are the main elevators for the public parking structure at The 88, and the other two are in the store itself and are still under construction.  My guess is that the additional two elevators will go directly from reserved Safeway parking into the store, and perhaps are the reason why the public garage has not opened yet.