The nation’s largest Asian grocery chain — 99 Ranch Market — will soon join Macy’s, Target and Century Theatres as an anchor tenant at South San Jose’s Westfield Oakridge Mall.
A late summer opening is expected, company and mall representatives announced Thursday.
This 99 Ranch will be the chain’s first location inside a mall and its first new-concept store in California. The Oakridge location on Blossom Hill Road is being touted as both a supermarket and a dining destination, with enhanced in-store and takeout options, and will feature a new interior design and services such as curbside pickup.
“Guests can expect to enjoy a barbecued food section with a delicious selection of grilled meat and cuisines, including the best-seller, Hong Kong-style barbecue,” the company said in its statement. “The noodle section offers a wide choice of soup-based noodle and congees, and the dim sum section is perfect for those craving traditional hand-made dumplings, buns and steamed or baked favorites, like rice noodle rolls, steamed pork ribs and baked pork puffs.”
The grocery’s move into one of the Bay Area’s big regional malls reflects the changing retail landscape. Even before the pandemic, Oakridge had announced plans to broaden its offerings with non-traditional mall tenants.
“We continue to diversify the options for our guests to shop, eat and play at the center to bring new energy and provide engaging, meaningful choices to the community,” Oakridge GM Jacob Huerta was quoted as saying in 2019 about the changes ahead.
The South San Jose grocery will be the 54th U.S. store in the Taiwanese-American chain. CEO Roger H. Chen founded 99 Ranch in Orange County in 1984, and the headquarters office remains there.
Bay Area News Group reporter George Avalos contributed to this report.
