Riverbank’s Crossroads gets new chain restaurants, more. Retail expansion coming soon
Space is going, going, almost all gone at Riverbank’s always-bustling Crossroads shopping center.
Five new national and regional retailers are opening in the complex, at the corner of Claribel and Oakdale roads. They include popular restaurant chains from Northern California and beyond, as well as a national home and beauty brand.
In early January, Ramen 101 opened its first Riverbank location in the complex. The Bay Area-based ramen shop opened its first Stanislaus County location last June in the Modesto Walmart Supercenter complex on McHenry Avenue.
Known for the iconic Japanese noodle soup in its name, the restaurant chain also has a full Hawaiian barbecue menu available. The company has more than a dozen locations across Northern California, from Emeryville to Sacramento.
The Crossroads location is on the east end of the center in the former Planet Beach tanning parlor, between the Great Clips and GNC shops. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Call 209-863-2093 or visit www.ramen101.net.
Another new Bay Area eatery coming to Riverbank’s Crossroads will be Nick the Greek. The location will be the first in Stanislaus County for the Mediterranean chain of restaurants. They specialize in gyros (Greek pita sandwiches) and souvlakis (Greek meat skewers). You can even add french fries to your gyros, if you’re into that kind of delicious thing.
Opened in San Jose by three cousins all named Nick, the restaurant chain is rapidly expanding. The company has more than two dozen locations in Northern California, with more than double that planned. New locations are opening in Northern and Southern California, Nevada, Kansas and Texas.
The chain’s new Crossroads location will be in the former Westamerica Bank building. The approximately 4,000-square-foot space is being split in half, with Nick the Greek taking over one side.
Will Bettencourt, leasing representative for Browman Development Company — which manages and operates Crossroads — said if things go smoothly Nick the Greek could open this fall. Once open it will be one of the first sites in the Northern San Joaquin Valley for the chain.
Another new restaurant opening in Crossroads is well on its way to completion. The new standalone El Pollo Loco Mexican grilled chicken restaurant is currently under construction on the last available vacant pad in the center, next to the Red Robin restaurant.
The new restaurant’s arrival was announced last May, and the exterior work appears almost done with El Pollo Loco signs already installed on the building. Bettencourt said it should be ready to open in about a month or two, depending on any final supply chain or hiring issues.
The last restaurant joining the new Japanese, Greek and Mexican eateries will be Poke Bowl. The Japanese and Hawaiian fusion seafood spot features poke — raw, cubed fish — served with a variety of toppings and accompaniments.
The chain has two existing locations in Modesto, on McHenry and Pelandale avenues. The new Riverbank location will be situated between the Save Mart and Best Buy, next to the Sally Beauty. Bettencourt said the owners are working on the build-out now, and hope for a summer opening.
The four new restaurants will be joined by national retailer Bath & Body Works. The national home and beauty product seller is opening a retail location in the center, in the former space of children’s clothes retailer Justice, between Kohl’s and Target.
Bettencourt said the company is in the “very early” process of developing the 4,840-square-foot site. He said it should take at least three to four months to complete, with eyes on a possible summer debut. Bath & Body Works is known for its lotions, candles and scents. The chain has existing stores in Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall and Turlock’s Monte Vista Crossings.
The final unleased space in the center, the other half of the former Westamerica Bank building, is currently in contract negotiations. Bettencourt hopes to have an announcement on the new tenant soon, and then Crossroads will be totally full — with no available space for lease or expansion — for the first time since its opening in 2005.
But, never fear, a planned expansion to the popular Crossroads concept is still in the works. In 2019 initial plans were approved for Crossroads West, a new housing development and accompanying retail shopping center, being built across the street from the existing complex.
Work began on the new subdivision in March 2021. When completed the planned community will have some 1,500 new homes, a school, a fire station, community parks and a sports center. The retail part of the expansion will be at the corner of Oakdale and Claribel roads, in the former location of Dutch Hollow Farms.
Browman, the same firm behind the Crossroads shopping center, is also behind the commercial retail development of Crossroads West. The proposed 555,000-square foot expansion will be almost identical in size to the existing complex, which is 600,000-square feet.
Expect some announcement on potential tenants and updates on construction of the new center sometime in the second quarter of 2022. So by summer, fingers crossed, we should have a better idea of what the new retail expansion will look like when finished.
Bettencourt said the interest in existing Crossroads spaces has been encouraging, and will hopefully transfer to the new Riverbank development as well.
“I feel like this is a really good sign. This center even through the pandemic and before has been one of our better centers,” he said. “We’ve been very fortunate to have a good lineup of tenants.”
