Mitsuwa Marketplace, the largest Japanese grocery store chain in the United States, will open a location in Northridge, Calif., its first in that Los Angeles community. Kennedy Wilson Brokerage, a division of Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Kennedy-Wilson Properties Ltd., represented the landlord, securing a 10-year lease on a 9,600-square-foot space at 8940 Tampa Avenue that was previously occupied by a Pier 1 Imports store.
Torrance, Calif.-based Mitsuwa Corp. was one of several companies interested in this central location, which will make the busy neighborhood shopping center a grocery-anchored destination. The specialty banner, which expanded throughout the pandemic, is poised to drive consistent traffic to the center.
“Mitsuwa will bring a unique market and culinary experience to the North San Fernando Valley that’s been missing,” said Kennedy Wilson Senior Associate Kyle Fishburn, who handled the transaction. “It’s exciting to introduce the brand to Northridge, and I’m excited to see the impact it has on an already busy commercial corridor.”
The Northridge Mitsuwa Marketplace is expected to open in the fall of 2022. Operating in five states — California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey and Texas — its 11 current locations are open 365 days a year and offer food courts, fast-food stalls, bakeries, matcha shops, prepared sushi and sashimi, and a wide assortment of Japanese groceries.