The Japanese grocer Mitsuwa Marketplace is opening next month in Cypress, taking over a shuttered Office Depot.
The Torrance-based supermarket, known for its abundance of Asian produce, pantry goods and fresh fish and meat is moving into the retail center at 4955 Katella Ave. It will be the third of its kind for Orange County.
The 18,025-square-foot store will include a food court with five restaurants. The city confirmed that the eateries Omusubi Gonbei, Tokyo Shokudo, J. Sweets would be part of the food offerings.
The grocery store was slated to open this summer.
The county has seen a surge in Asian supermarkets. Recently Tokyo Central opened in Irvine, just steps from a Mitsuwa in the Heritage Plaza shopping center.
Hmart also opened its biggest grocery store in California in Westminster. The 73,000-square-foot store took the place of a vacant Vons at the Pavilions Place shopping center on Beach Boulevard.
Coming to Irvine next year is Canada’s biggest Asian grocery chain, T&T Supermarkets. The company is also opening its largest California store next year in Chino Hills.
Mitsuwa operates 12 stores in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas and Hawaii.
Address: 4955 Katella Ave.
Ace Hardware debuts in RSM
Ace Hardware is open for business in Rancho Santa Margarita.
The store at 31541 Santa Margarita Parkway takes the place of a shuttered Rite Aid drugstore at the Mercado del Lago shopping center.
The 18,000-square-foot store carries a wide array of tools for homeowners, DIYers and contractors. It also has a section dedicated to kitchen supplies and a nursery with live plants, flowers and succulents, plus gardening supplies.
Cesar Velasco is the store’s general manager.
The Rancho Santa Margarita store is the 22nd in California for Westlake Ace Hardware.
Charter flights to Denver from JWA
The charter airline JSX is launching year-round flights between Orange County and Denver come January.
The flights depart John Wayne Airport and Cenver’s smaller Centennial Airport (APA), beginning Jan. 8.
The new route will act as a connecting flight, for those who choose, to Dallas with a one-stop, no-plane-change itinerary.
In May, JSX shifted its operations base at JWA to Jay’s Aircraft Maintenance on the airport’s west side.
For route information from the charter aircraft company, go to jsx.com
2 Chick-fil-As open in OC
There’s lots more chicken sandwiches and waffle fries sprouting in two different Orange County cities.
Chick-fil-A’s “just eat more chicken” cows can be spotted in Placentia (1200 E Alta Vista St.) and Irvine (18542 MacArthur Blvd.). The Irvine location opens Thursday, Oct. 16.
The Irvine location will not have a drive-through lane. Customers will have to place their orders for “Mobile Thru pickup” via the Chick-fil-A app. Those meals will be ready when they arrive at the restaurant. The company says “no need to park or even get out of their car.”
Reminder: Customers who show up on opening day dressed like a spotted cow get a free entree.
Clean energy grants available to nonprofits
Orange County Power Authority is accepting applications for its annual Calpine Community Benefits Grant.
The money goes to local nonprofits that “advance clean energy usage and generation, green job training, environmental education and stewardship, and energy equity efforts in OCPA member communities.”
The program is managed through a partnership between Calpine Community Energy, which provides the grant money, and OCPA. The power authority sets the grant guidelines and project requirements.
OCPA will host an informational webinar Thursday, Oct. 16.The deadline to apply is Nov. 14. Recipients will be notified in early 2026.
For more information about the webinar and how to apply, go to ocpower.org/calpine-community-grant-2025.
$200K for hospice foundation
The Southern California Hospice Foundation is the recipient of $200,000 in grants from two family foundations.
The Foster Family Foundation contributed a $100,000 grant, doubling what it gave in 2024. The money will support operations at Heavenly Home, a nonprofit residential facility in Mission Viejo that provides 24-hour care and housing for residents facing terminal illnesses.
The Samueli Foundation also gave SCHF $100,000 from its inaugural Breakaway Fund award. The grant will support annual operational costs such as accounting and insurance.
“We are deeply grateful to both the Foster Family Foundation and the Samueli Foundation for their confidence in our mission,” said Michelle Wulfestieg, Executive Director of Southern California Hospice Foundation. “These complementary grants strengthen patient care and organizational stability and further champion our efforts to uplift and serve others at the end of life.”
On the move
David C. Lee recently joined the law firm Jones Day in Irvine as a partner in its Corporate Practice. Lee specializes in domestic and cross-border transactions for corporations, venture capital firms and private equity funds. He also advises on mergers and acquisitions, private placements, initial public offerings and more. Previously he was a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Latham & Watkins.
Good works
Northgate González Market donated more than 300 care packages during a recent visit to children battling cancer at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
Some 35 store employees at the Anaheim-based supermarket chain assembled care packages with a blue backpack filled with coloring books, crayons, apple juice, applesauce, water bottles, a cozy blanket, and handwritten notes. Northgate also provided 300 gift cards, each valued at $25, to CHOC’s Oncology Department to distribute to families in need.
“These care packages are a small way to bring comfort and joy to children and their families facing an incredibly challenging journey,” said Oscar González, co-president of Northgate Market.
The donation was supported by the chain’s partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper, which is in its third year.
Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
