San Jose, California, June 19, 2026, 04:01 PDT
- T&T launched its first California store in San Jose on Thursday and said it plans a bigger spot in Newark.
- Newark’s location would go into the old Macy’s space at NewPark Mall. The city has been looking for new retail anchors for the spot.
- T&T is stepping further into the Bay Area’s busy Asian grocery market, where it faces H Mart, Mitsuwa and Tokyo Central.
T&T Supermarket has picked the old Macy’s spot at NewPark Mall in Newark for what CEO Tina Lee says will be its biggest store in California, as the Canadian Asian grocer grows its Bay Area presence. The Newark location is set to cover over 72,600 square feet and should open in late 2027, Lee told SFGATE. The announcement comes as its first store in the state launched in San Jose.
T&T is shifting from its first California location to a wider regional push. The retailer opened its 55,000-square-foot San Jose store at Westgate Center on Thursday. Hundreds lined up before it opened, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Newark plan would give NewPark Mall another shot at filling a big department-store vacancy—something a lot of U.S. malls have had to deal with as chains trim their weak sites. Macy’s said in January 2025 it plans to close 66 stores that are not part of its go-forward group, as part of a three-year plan to close about 150 underperforming stores.
Lee said T&T kept the Newark plans under wraps as it set up San Jose. “We have been working on this for over a year,” Lee wrote in an email to SFGATE. Building permits went in December 2025. SFGATE
The grocer applied for alcohol permits for the old Macy’s site. According to SFGATE, which looked at California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control data, T&T requested a Type 21 license to sell beer, wine and spirits for off-site consumption, then applied for a Type 86 license that would let it hold instructional tastings.
Newark Mayor Michael K. Hannon told SFGATE the investment should add jobs and offer new shopping choices. Newark officials have been open about the mall’s problems. In April, Hannon said NewPark had a “substantial increase in store vacancies” and the city wanted to see the property become a regional destination again. SFGATE Tri City Voice
The San Jose T&T store at Westgate Center shows what the brand is doing with this format. The company said this location has groceries, ready-to-eat food, bakery, Asian beauty products, plus a range of its own private-label goods like pork soup dumplings and green onion pancakes.
Lee said the California debut goes beyond a standard supermarket launch. “San Jose is a long-anticipated store,” she said in a company statement last month. T&T wants to reach Asian families who want familiar products, as well as attract new customers interested in Asian food, according to Lee. PR Newswire
T&T’s new San Jose store lands in a crowded market, close to Mitsuwa Marketplace and H Mart, according to the Chronicle. H Mart’s Dublin and Tokyo Central’s Emeryville launches attracted thousands of shoppers. The Chronicle said the Bay Area’s Asian population jumped 30% from 2010 to 2020, based on census numbers.
T&T isn’t done in the Bay Area. The grocer has set plans for a San Francisco store at City Center on Geary Boulevard expected in winter 2026 and a 52,000-square-foot Millbrae location at Friendship Plaza, also aiming for winter 2026. PR Newswire
Risks remain. Lee called California “the most difficult state to operate in,” telling the Chronicle the challenge hangs over the company’s expansion. Permits, construction, and licensing could slow plans in Newark, and the Bay Area already has established Asian grocery chains. San Francisco Chronicle
Right now, the company is leaning on its scale. Big boxes, ready-to-eat foods, bakery counters and imports all help blur the line between supermarket and food hall. Newark is another bet on that formula, with the team hoping to turn an old department store anchor into a food destination—not just another grocery run.
