Vallarta Supermarkets, a Mexican grocery business with 58 locations throughout California, intends to open its first location in the Bay Area. SiliconValley.com reports that the So Cal-based chain is relocating to the old Toys R Us and Babies R Us store at San Jose’s The Plant shopping area.
The 65,000-square-foot Vallarta Supermarket in San Jose is scheduled to open in the second half of 2026, according to Milan Capital and Arc Capital, real estate investment firms who purchased The Plant site in August.
Enrique Gonzalez Sr., the founder of Vallarta Supermarkets, was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and founded a modest carnicería in Van Nuys in 1985. He converted the carnicería into the first grocery site after five years of selling popular meat cuts in Mexico.
These days, Vallarta Supermarkets is well-known for its freshly cooked tortillas and difficult-to-find items from Mexico, Central America, and South America. Additionally, stores feature a prepared food area called La Cocina where they serve morning chilaquiles, tacos, and tamales. A guacamole stand, an agua fresca and juice bar, and a panadería with freshly baked conchas and empanadas are all available to patrons.
FDA Warns: Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste Contaminated with Bacteria
The forthcoming San Jose store is expected to have a cooking component, according to confirmation from Arc Capital and Milan Capital.
With the exception of a store in Madera, the Santa Clarita-based chain’s first store in Santa Cruz County and its furthest north to date opened its doors in Watsonville in June.
