Rose Garden Resident
News
Construction begins on Trader Joe's at San Jose MarketCenter
By Mary Gottschalk
Signs proclaiming "Trader Joe's Coming Soon" are hanging on the fence surrounding one of the construction sites at San Jose MarketCenter on Coleman Avenue and Taylor Street.
After months of rumors, it's clear the popular retailer is coming as the building's framing progresses.
No opening-date projections are being made, but it will be this spring or summer, and the store will occupy approximately 12,000 square feet, says Alison Mochizuki, spokeswoman for the chain.
As the MarketCenter nears its first anniversary, it is 98 percent leased with occupancy at 86 percent, says Matt Gove, vice president of Cousins Properties, the Atlanta-based owners and developers of the center.
The latest business to open at MarketCenter is Blu Cocoon MedSpa. Located next to Sleep Train, its grand opening was Jan. 20.
Blu Cocoon is staffed with a physician-supervised staff of licensed medical professionals. Services include Botox injections, medical peels, laser facials, laser hair removal and live stem cell skin therapy.
Sally Beauty Supply is expected to open in 2007 along with several eating establishments, including Chili's, Wingstop, Dream Dinners, Sweet Tomatoes, El Pollo Loco and Carl's Jr.
Already open at MarketCenter are Cost Plus World Market, Diamond Dental, GameStop, Jamba Juice, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Marshall's, Michaels, Nail & Tan America, Office Depot, Panera Bread, Payless Shoe Source, PetSmart, Red Brick Pizza, Sleep Train, Starbucks, Subway, T-Mobile, Target, Una Mas Restaurant and Washington Mutual.
Cousins had long courted Trader Joe's for the MarketCenter, but it took the San Jose City Council approval of a $1.7 million subsidy in June 2006 to make it happen.
The subsidy agreement was for a 12,000-square-foot store, making it too small for grocers such as Safeway, which usually build 40,000- to 60,000-square-foot stores.
Additionally, the subsidy required that the grocer be in place by November 2007, or it expires.
