Taiwanese grocery retailer 168 Market opened its doorways to a whole bunch of ready group members on Saturday.
Consumers arrived at 765 Sereno Drive forward of the shop’s 9 a.m. opening by greater than an hour. The shop’s opening was preceded by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a standard Chinese language lion dance by LionDanceME.
Vallejo’s 168 Market marks the second Bay Space location the chain has opened since being based in 2006, with its first one in Fremont having opened in 2020. The grocery retailer is basically recognized for its Asian and worldwide choices of produce, snacks and frozen gadgets.
That number of meals is what matches the demographics of Central Vallejo, the place the shop is positioned, 99 Ranch Market Chairman Jonson Chen mentioned. 99 Ranch Market, the most important Asian grocery store chain in america, is owned by mother or father firm Tawa Grocery store Inc., which additionally owns 168 Market.
Jonson’s father, Rodger, opened the primary 99 Ranch in 1984 after emigrating from Taiwan. The now-closed store was positioned in a predominantly Vietnamese group within the Southern California metropolis of Westminster. Alice, Jonson’s sister, is the chief government for the corporate.
“It’s such a various group right here,” Jonson informed the Occasions-Herald. “Clearly a powerful Filipino base, however in addition to Vietnamese, in addition to some Japanese and Cambodian. It matches us so properly.”
Fairfield resident CJ Polaris attended the shop’s grand opening along with her husband and father-in-law to purchase teas for the colder climate and to buy dim sum, small Cantonese dumplings and snack dishes sometimes eaten with tea. Polaris, who works in Vallejo, mentioned the closest Asian markets she travels to are Asian Mart in Fairfield and 3J’s Asian Market in Sassoon.
168 Market is predicated the place the previous In-Form gymnasium lay, an space Jonson described as having been run-down and in want of revitalization. The market submitted an software to Vallejo’s planning division within the fall of 2022, and Jonson mentioned he’s acquainted with the land house owners — Kin properties — from different market areas.
The Vallejo location for 168 Market is one among no less than 10 meals retailers in Central Vallejo, a stark distinction with South Vallejo’s Island Pacific Seafood Market on Springs Highway. The U.S. Division of Agriculture deemed in 2011 three South Vallejo neighborhoods as meals deserts — areas with low entry to wholesome meals stores.
Planning & Growth Companies Director Christina Ratcliffe informed the Occasions-Herald the town’s Financial Growth Division is actively participating with meals stores to deliver to South Vallejo. That division, she mentioned, is in negotiations to determine a contract with a grocery chain — Ratcliffe declined to touch upon what chain the town is corresponding with.