Manteca is pulling off what is an economic rarity in California today.
Commerce growing throughout the city and not just in new development.
There are no less than 30 commercial endeavors that have just opened, are getting ready to open, are under construction have submitted building plans, or have inked tenant improvement deals since May 1.
And they can be found in all four corners of Manteca as well as downtown.
Surprisingly, five of those endeavors are within just over a block from what was for years the most blighted corner in downtown — Sycamore Avenue and Yosemite Avenue.
That’s where a lone masonry wall stood for 40 years after two buildings, including the Quakeen Hotel, were destroyed in a 1980s fire that killed two people.
The city recently removed the wall after buying both parcels for $80,000 a few years ago.
Manteca is pursuing a 5-story low-income housing complex with a non-profit agency as a long-term use. Meanwhile, the city is preparing to create a mini-park complete with murals at that location
Across the street to the east from there is also where the two-story Sycamore Arms building stood for years after being damaged by a fire in the 2010s before being remodeled.
Elianna’s Café has just opened on the ground floor of the Sycamore building with a meat market preparing to open next door.
Across the street, a martial arts studio received city approval to open in a former Indian grocery located just several doors down where a specialized clothing store dubbed Nona’s Closet recently opened in the former Regal Signs location.
Just west of where the city is preparing to create a mini-park, My Friends lounge is undergoing a refresh and rebirth as My Happy Place.
And a block away in the 100 block of North Maple Avenue, a grand opening has been set for mid-July for a sweet shop and bakery.
Spreckels Park area
business growth
Stanton Optical has opened in a new cluster of in-line space behind McDonald’s at the southwest corner of Commerce Drive and Yosemite Avenue.
The rest of the space will see a Nectar Juice, Poke Bowl, and Club Pilates open. The remaining space is being leased for a meat market.
The city now has plans for a 7,500 square-foot retail complex on Historical Plaza Drive along Spreckels Avenue behind Chevron and near the Tesla Supercharger station.
The complex will have space for a restaurant and two retail stores.
It will require removing a private park AKF Development put in to celebrate the impact of Spreckels Sugar that was demolished in 1999 to accommodate the 362-acee Spreckels Business Park that includes distribution centers for Ford, Frito-Lay, Dreyer’s Ice Cream and more as well as retailers such as Home Depot, Food-4-Less, Target, and Staples.
On the western end
of Yosemite Avenue
New owners are getting ready to reopen the New China restaurant in the Manteca Marketplace.
There is also a party interested in leasing one of the two vacant spaces that once housed Rite Aid as well as Big Lots.
That is addition to the $84 million expansion of the emergency room at Kaiser Permanente.
Atherton Drive & South Main
California Gold Development has interest from two retailers to lease the junior tenant anchor space at Marketplace at Main where the city’s third Save Mart will open this fall. It will be 52,000 square feet.
Work has started on the McDonald’s on the southwest corner of South Main and Atherton.
Meanwhile, Starbucks and the Chipotle’s Kitchen are nearing competition.
A Quick Quack car wash is lined up. The developer is also working with other tenants to fill out 64,000 square feet of additional retail and dining space.
The proposed 181,000 square-foot Super Walmart proposed for the northwest corner of the intersection is not counted among the 30 plus concerns that have just opened or are moving in that direction.
The 44-acre project will have a 40,000 to 60,000 square foot junior tenant as well as 10 perimeter parcels that can be developed separately or paired together to accommodate quick service fast food to sit-down restaurants and other users.
Flip Flop Shops now
open at Orchard Valley
Specialty retailer Flip Flop Shops is now open at the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley.
It joins Hot Worx and Tomer Pilates Reformer that recently opened.
Cajun Crack’n Seafood is working on opening a restaurant as well.
Grupe Huber, the owners of Orchard Valley reportedly have another four concerns looking to sign leases for available in-line space at the 787,000 square-foot shopping center anchored by Bass Pro Shops.
Retail projects elsewhere
Remodeling plans for the Burlington space on South Main to reopen as a Hobby Lobby are now being processed by the city.
Burlington opened a new Manteca store last month in the former JoAnn Fabrics space at the Stadium Retail Center.
Tractor Supply Co. has submitted building plans for a new store on Union Road north of Lathrop Road. The project will include a Dutch Bros.
Fat Burger opened last month in the retail that is part of the ARCO AM/PM and Starbucks complex on the southeast corner of Crestwood Avenue and Lathrop Road.
The owner of the complex is working with several concerns to fill additional suites that share the building with Fat Burger.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
