NewMark Merrill Companies Sees Flurry of Merchant Openings and Leases at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks

NewMark Merrill Companies Inc., a Woodland Hills-based shopping center owner and manager, has seen significant leasing activity at Janss Marketplace, a 458,000 square foot community center located on the Northwest corner of Moorpark Road and Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks.

NewMark Merrill recently announced that it signed Five Below to a 9,850 square foot lease to neighbor the now open ALDI grocery store that replaced a former Toys R Us space that closed due to bankruptcy. Construction for the Five Below location at Janss Marketplace recently began this month and is scheduled to open in October 2021.

This new lease with Five Below continues the momentum at Janss Marketplace. Starbucks opened a brand-new location at Janss Marketplace with a drive-thru at the end of 2020 and Wingstop opened earlier this year in the first quarter of 2021. California Fish Grill signed a lease for 2,975 square feet and opened on July 26th. Additionally, The Mighty Axe, an entertainment destination featuring axe throwing at wood targets in a safe and lively environment, signed a lease for 3,281 square feet and opened this past weekend. Finally, Pieology recently signed a lease for 2,200 square feet and is scheduled to open in early 2022.

NewMark Merrill has recently completed the installation of a mural named Conejo by artist Evan Meyer which was inspired by the rich history and abundant presence the cottontail rabbit has in the region as well as the namesake of the county. Janss Marketplace also saw the return of its signature July 4th community event after being cancelled last year after 20 consecutive years due to COVID. In a sign of the excitement from the City, the event welcomed over 3,000 people to the property to enjoy live entertainment, food, games, including an incredibly competitive pie eating contest and a dynamic and patriotic fireworks show.

“As the COVID crisis comes to an end, we remain dedicated to looking for ways to improve our centers and creating a sense of community with new merchants, art, gathering places, events and capital improvements. Having such significant leasing activity, community engagement, and increased traffic at Janss Marketplace reinforces the narrative that we have always believed, that centers that become part of the community and provided opportunities for people to create lasting memories will succeed no matter the times,” said Sandy Sigal, NewMark Merrill President and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to see increased traffic at Janss and other centers throughout our portfolio as consumers return to having a sense of community.”

Janss features an outstanding tenant mix of key local, regional, and national retailers including ALDI Grocers, Regal Cinemas, DEFY Extreme Air Sports, Old Navy, Starbucks, Buca di Beppo and Gold’s Gym among other local retailers and merchants. The center's location at the NWC of Moorpark Road and Hillcrest Drive with over 58,000 daily traffic counts in Thousand Oaks with 155,000 people in the trade area makes it one of the most desirable retail locations in Southern California. Thousand Oaks continually ranks as one of the safest U.S. cities for its size by FBI reporting standards. For more information about Janss Marketplace, visit www.janssmarketplace.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JanssMarketplace.

About NewMark Merrill Companies

NewMark Merrill Companies, Inc. owns or manages a portfolio of over 85 shopping centers valued at more than $2 billion. Since 1987, President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy Sigal has led the company of shopping centers representing over 1,800 tenants and 10 million square feet in California, Colorado, and Illinois. The Company has founded and invested heavily in BrightStreet Ventures, its technology company, which is working on leading edge solutions for property owners and merchants to succeed in today’s retail environment. For more information, visit NewMarkMerrill.com.

Itala Bakery & Cafe Now Open at The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks

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Itala Bakery & Cafe recently opened on the 2nd floor of The Oaks mall, east side, next to Wetzel’s Pretzels and Macy’s Men’s & Home store (and just up the escalator from the Starbucks stand). Itala offers a variety of fresh pastries including 26 layer Crepe Cakes (Rainbow Strawberry, Chocolate, Coffee, Green Tea, Coconut, Mango, others), Cannoli, Lemon Bars, Lemon Tarts, Eclairs, Pecan Bars, Tiramisu, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Macaroons, Hawaiian Cake, Double Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Ganache, Cupcakes and more. Open daily.

Grand Opening of California Fish Grill Thousand Oaks is Monday, July 26, 2021

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At last! Today, California Fish Grill announced that the grand opening of its new location at Janss Marketplace (in east parking lot - next to Wingstop and Starbucks) will be Monday, July 26, 2021. More information at www.cafishgrill.com.

They announced VERY LIMITED pre-opening Friends and Family meal specific time slots 7/21-7/24. I suspect these will fill up very quickly. See www.eventbrite.com/e/california-fish-grill-thousand-oaks-friends-family-event-tickets-163081277491

Burlington at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks to Permanently Close on July 23, 2021

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Burlington at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks will be permanently closing its doors July 23rd.

Burlington Coat Factory (now just Burlington) opened at this 85,000 sq ft location in September 2010.

No word from Janss Marketplace about what’s next for this location. But I can tell you that MB2 Raceway has stated on its website since February that it will be relocating to Janss Marketplace. We shall see!

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Red Robin Thousand Oaks Permanently Closed

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For anyone holding out hope that Red Robin at The Oaks mall would re-open someday, I have confirmed with Red Robin that this location is permanently closed.

Other Ventura County Red Robin locations still open include Oxnard (The Collection at RiverPark), Ventura (Pacific View Mall) and Simi Valley (Simi Valley Town Center).

STACKED at The Oaks is still closed, though no official confirmation on if the closure will be permanent.

Pizza Rev appears to be permanently closed. But the good news is that Hot Dog on a Stick recently reopened.

Visit shoptheoaksmall.com for more information.

Maru Kitchen Now Open at the Westlake Plaza in Westlake Village

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Maru Kitchen has been open for a week or so at the Westlake Plaza, 2725 Townsgate Road, Westlake Village. Previous occupants of this space have included Spireworks Modern Doner, Big Fish Poke and The Ice Cream Lab.

Maru serves Korean specialties like Kimchi Gumbo, Bibimbap, Kimchi Fried Rice, Korean Lettuce Wraps, Bulgogi, Galbi Tang Noodle and more. 805-371-4577

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The Waffle Experience Opens June 19th in Newbury Park

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UPDATE: 6/18/21: The Waffle Experience opens on Saturday, June 19th at 8am. Open until 3pm.

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May Update: Anticipated grand opening in mid-June.

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Looks like something new called The Waffle Experience is coming to Newbury Park in the former home of Billy Dz BBQ at 765 Wendy Drive, based on this sign on the front door. And confirmed as “coming soon” to Thousand Oaks on their website at thewaffleexperience.com/locations.

The Waffle Experience offers breakfast and lunch, with a menu that includes savory items, sandwiches, salads and of course all types of waffles. Existing locations in Sacramento, Folsom and Elk Grove. Sounds pretty good! More details at thewaffleexperience.com

Commander Jeremy Paris Appointed Police Chief for the City of Thousand Oaks

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The City of Thousand Oaks, in conjunction with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office (VCSO), announced today the appointment of Commander Jeremy Paris as Chief of Police for the City of Thousand Oaks. Outgoing Police Chief Jim Fryhoff has been reassigned to another Commander position within the organization. Thousand Oaks contracts for police services with VCSO, who, in consultation with the City, appoints a commander to lead the City's Police Department to work directly with local officials as a member of the City's executive team.

Commenting on the leadership transition, City Manager Andrew Powers said, "Building our history of law enforcement leaders committed to community-oriented policing, Commander Paris brings diverse experience, authenticity, and deep knowledge of our community that make him a natural fit. We're thrilled to have him join the City's executive leadership team and help to build upon our community's legacy of excellence in policing. We have a real appreciation for Jim’s years of service to Thousand Oaks and especially his efforts in helping us manage through this extremely difficult pandemic year. "

Commander Jeremy Paris is a 23-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Jeremy has worked on various assignments with the Sheriff's Office, including detention services, patrol, special enforcement, investigations, and crime prevention. He previously served as the Assistant Chief of Police in Camarillo, where he managed a $21 million budget, implemented the Intelligence-Led Policing model, and developed strategic plans to address crime, traffic and homelessness. He brings a strong commitment to robust community outreach and engagement in this new assignment.

“Commander Paris has the depth of experience, intellect, work ethic, dedication, and interpersonal skills essential to providing the excellent public safety services the citizens of Thousand Oaks expect and deserve." said Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub on Paris’ new assignment. On his appointment, Paris said, "I am excited for the opportunity to serve as the Chief of Police for Thousand Oaks. I look forward to bringing my experience and perspective to the community and working to maintain and improve this wonderful place we all love and enjoy."

Nearly lifelong residents and Thousand Oaks High School graduates, Jeremy has been married to his wife, Dana, for 25 years, and they are raising their six children in Thousand Oaks. Jeremy received his bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Geography and obtained the Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Management Certificates in Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T).

Crumbl Cookies is Coming Soon to The Shoppes at Westlake Village

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The Shoppes at Westlake Village has announced that Crumbl Cookies is “coming soon.”

It will be located in the former home of Bubbers Bowls (closed in October 2019) and Bowl of Heaven, directly across from Tifa Chocolate & Gelato.

Since opening its doors three years ago, Crumbl has expanded to over 200 bakeries in 32 states nationwide, making it the fastest-growing cookie company in the nation.

Each week, Crumbl’s menu rotates to offer 4 different specialty flavors, as well as their famous chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookies. As I type this, I see that the current week cookie flavors are Red Velvet White Chip, Banana Cream Pie, Ultimate Peanut Butter and Dirt Cake (a warm chocolate cookie coated in OREO crumbs, topped with rich chocolate frosting, crumbly chocolate streusel and a gummy worm).

Learn more at crumblcookies.com and stay tuned for the opening date.

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