\u201cWe have work or school, we have our homes and residences and we also need our third spaces where community can gather and experience one another and be one with our outdoor environment or indoor environment,\u201d San Jose Downtown Association CEO Brian Kurtz told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThe name Sakura Market, the translation (is) cherry blossom. The symbol of cherry blossom is a new beginning or renewal. If that\u2019s not what we are experiencing in downtown San Jose in this current time, I don\u2019t know what is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kurtz said Sakura Market\u2019s opening couldn\u2019t be more timely. The downtown has been in need of a grocer for years. He said locals will now have a place to buy food, produce and have something the community will \u201ccherish.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Customers browse the wide selection at Sakura Market in downtown San Jose. Photo by Gabriel Symkowick.<\/p>\n
The location provides a wide selection of sandwiches, fried chicken, fresh sashimi fish, a wide variety of Japanese ice cream, Asian sodas, a matcha stand, Japanese beauty section and a do it yourself instant ramen bar, Grocery Division Manager Sho Okawa said.<\/p>\n
Sakura Market\u2019s grand opening comes on the heels of downtown\u2019s well documented struggles to bring in a local grocery store to the area. A Safeway<\/a> located on the once-busy corner of Second and San Fernando streets was the only grocery store in recent operation, until it closed in 2019 due to a lack of residents<\/a> living downtown and high office vacancy rates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prior to Safeway, in 2011 a Zanotto\u2019s<\/a> location that\u2019d been a mainstay on South Second Street since 1996 was forced to close its doors permanently, despite receiving a $1.65 million loan from the city after it temporarily closed in 2003.<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel lucky and proud that (Osaka Marketplace) chose our district here in one of the most diverse communities,\u201d Tuan Nguyen, senior field representative for Assemblymember Ash Kalra, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cJapanese communities have given a lot to San Jose and we are excited about the next chapter after this one.\u201d<\/p>\n Hundreds of people lined up outside Sakura Market, with some arriving as early as 6:30 a.m. to be first in line for the 10 a.m. opening. The variety of different selections made it exciting, and was worth the wait for the gift bag San Jose resident Meagan Magaoay said she received. The first 100 customers of the grand opening received a free Sakura gift bag, to bring more crowds to the opening. The gift bags included Japanese snacks, drinks, candy and beauty products.<\/p>\n Local resident Brandon Lan heard about the market because of his status as a San Jose State alumnus and decided to check it out.<\/p>\n \u201cSakura Market will provide a great opportunity for San Jose State students,\u201d Lan told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cIf I was still an SJSU student I would definitely go here all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
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