CONCORD — Successful modern retail centers offer more than the latest fashions and typical food court fare. In addition to shopping, customers expect singular dining and entertainment options, experts say.
The Veranda, which opened Friday, adheres to this lifestyle model by providing a diverse collection of tenants — including a specialty grocer, stylish restaurants and an IMAX movie theater — arranged around a park with free WiFi, a 21-foot tall children’s play structure and a fountain that puts on a musical light show every half hour.
The goal is to create an inviting setting where people want to spend time, according to CenterCal Properties, the Southern California-based firm building the 375,000-square-foot shopping center with space for about 50 tenants on the former Chevron campus on Diamond Boulevard.
“Retail centers that are still thriving pay attention to that sense of place that is often missing today,” CEO Fred Bruning said in a statement.
“Successful locations will provide pleasing public spaces serving as gathering places for the community and this sense of place will be enhanced by other complementary activities such as restaurants, entertainment, play spaces, residences and office space that create such a compelling venue that people want to visit several times per week.”
Thus far, CenterCal has signed a mix of national and local businesses, including some that are new to the region. Although only five will open this week, the developer expects the roll-out to continue through December, when a holiday ice rink and Christmas tree lighting ceremony are planned.
Tenants include 365 by Whole Foods Market, the first Bay Area location of the upscale grocer’s affordable stores; several trendy eateries serving burgers, sushi and seafood; a fitness center and a waxing salon.
This week, CenterCal announced three additions — Puesto, a Mexican restaurant from Southern California; Coffee Shop, a local chain with locations in Walnut Creek, Lafayette and Alamo; and Residual Sugar Wine Bar, which also has a downtown Walnut Creek space.
Coffee Shop and Residual Sugar Wine Bar will share one of three 1,000-square-foot pavilions in the center. The pavilions, which sit near the fountain, will be surrounded by patios with seating and fire pits.
The development’s biggest draw, however, may be the Veranda LUXE Cinema, an IMAX movie theater with 10 screens, in-theater dining, a full bar, cocktail lounge and electric recliners.
Scheduled to open in December, the Concord cineplex will be the second IMAX theater in Contra Costa County, joining AMC Brentwood 14.
“I think that this project will be a high-quality addition to the retail landscape,” said John Cumbelich, of retail real estate firm John Cumbelich and Associates.
“I’m pleasantly surprised by the caliber of users that have been announced so far. I think it’s good for Concord and will help move Concord’s retail scene from what has been typically a mid-tier offering to what we call lifestyle retail.”
The first new shopping center built here in decades, the Veranda is expected to be an economic boon for Concord whose older retail areas have struggled to retain tenants in recent years. The city expects the development will generate at least $665,000 in sales tax dollars in fiscal year 2018.
Mayor Laura Hoffmeister believes the Veranda’s prime location will help CenterCal draw customers and additional retailers.
“There’s not really land available on the (Interstate) 680 corridor for something of this magnitude, you’d have to go now across the bridge to Fairfield,” Hoffmeister said. “I think this is going to be good for the area, not only in Concord, but also for the region.”
Opening this month:
- TJ Maxx, Thursday
- Lunchbox Wax, Friday
- Sleep Number, Friday
- AAA, Oct. 30
November:
- Travis Credit Union, Nov. 2
- Toys ‘R Us/Babies ‘R Us, Nov. 4
- Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Nov. 18
- MOD Pizza (November/December)
- Popbar, gelato and sorbet (November/December)
- Cost Plus World Market
December:
- 365 by Whole Foods Market, Dec. 6
- Veranda LUXE Cinema IMAX movie theater
- EMC Seafood and Raw Bar
- Super Duper Burgers (with drive-thru)
Future openings:
- Coffee Shop
- Residual Sugar Wine Bar
- Xfinity
- Puesto, June 2018
- City Sports Club 40,000-square-foot fitness center with swimming pool, March 2018
- Mikuni Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, March 2018
