As of the first week of November, the one firm date on the Pacific Commons holiday calendar is Sunday, November 29, the evening after Thanksgiving weekend's last big shopping day. The center's Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting runs from 6 to 8 p.m. near Market Broiler, with Santa photos, face painting, balloon art, holiday music and treat bags.
The center sets that date itself. The new stores coming to Pacific Commons each set their own, and their schedules have moved since summer. Pacific Commons is also listed for sale. The center's owner, its incoming tenants and a possible buyer are all working on separate timelines this season, and only the first one has put a firm date on the calendar.
The Tree Lighting Belongs to the Center
The holiday event is on the Pacific Commons events page, and the center hosts it in its own common area. The same goes for the free Summer Concert Series, which ran on select Friday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Block Plaza. The City of Fremont's September business newsletter listed a concert as late as September 25.
Programming like this depends only on the property's management, so it lands on the calendar with a fixed date and time. A new store needs a finished build-out, staff and inventory before its doors open, and the dates below have moved as that work went on.
Barnes & Noble Moved From November to December
In its August Fremont Economy Monthly, the City of Fremont announced that Barnes & Noble was "returning to Fremont." The new store will be a 24,638-square-foot bookstore with a café and indoor and outdoor seating in the former DSW space, and the city said it would open "this November."
The retailer's own Fremont store page now gives the address as 43598 Christy Street and says "Opening December 2026." The page lists a café among the store's features and calls the location the "Bayside Neighborhood," which is the retailer's name for this part of south Fremont. It doesn't give an opening day yet.
The difference matters for holiday shopping. A November opening would have overlapped with Thanksgiving weekend and the tree lighting. A December opening still falls within the gift-buying season, but on a schedule set by Barnes & Noble, and the store page is the place to watch for the exact day.
Slice House Aimed for September, Then October
Tony Gemignani's Slice House is taking over the former Dog Haus space, WhatNow reported in February. In August, the Silicon Valley Business Journal said the shop would open in September. By early September, a Slice House representative told The Mercury News that "an October opening is envisioned."
Gemignani grew up in Fremont, so this is a hometown opening for him. According to The Mercury News, franchisee Pritika Rajasanshi will run the Fremont shop. She also operates the Slice House in Mountain View and is a fellow Washington High School alum and longtime friend of Gemignani's, who said that "makes this opening even more meaningful." The menu covers New York, Sicilian, Grandma and Detroit-style pizza, sold by the slice or as whole pies, at 43456 S. Boscell Road.
The same Mercury News article listed several other Slice House openings in progress. The San Jose and Menlo Park locations were tentatively set for November, and Brentwood's was possibly October. A franchise opening several shops at once may have to stagger them, which could help explain why the Fremont date moved. The center's Slice House listing still says "Coming Soon," so check it before you head over for a slice.
Miniso Was Set for January and Now Lists Regular Hours
Miniso planned to open on January 17, 2026, in a 12,000-plus-square-foot store that Inside Retail described as the chain's largest in the Bay Area. The store now appears in the Pacific Commons directory with regular store hours. For this season, it counts among the established stores at the center rather than the incoming ones.
H Mart Is Still a Construction Project
H Mart's plans are on a longer timeline than the others. The company's announcement, posted by the City of Fremont and dated January 20, 2026, describes a two-story flagship of more than 100,000 square feet. It would be H Mart's largest location in the U.S. and in California, with a food hall, dine-in restaurants, a bar and entertainment. Construction was expected to begin in late 2026. The Mercury News put the size at about 98,000 square feet, citing a marketing brochure. The center's own H Mart listing says "Coming Soon."
Here Is How the Calendar Stands on Publish Day
| Name | What it is | Earlier stated timing | Latest stated timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting | Center-run event near Market Broiler | Nov. 29, 6 to 8 p.m. | Nov. 29, 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Barnes & Noble, 43598 Christy St. | 24,638 sq. ft. bookstore with café | "This November," per the City of Fremont | "Opening December 2026," per the store page |
| Slice House, 43456 S. Boscell Rd. | Pizza by the slice or pie | September, per SVBJ, then October, per The Mercury News | Listed as "Coming Soon" |
| Miniso | 12,000-plus sq. ft. store | Jan. 17, 2026 | Listed with store hours in the center directory |
| H Mart | 100,000-plus sq. ft. two-story flagship | Construction expected late 2026 | Listed as "Coming Soon" |
Across the table, the center's own event is the only row where the date hasn't changed. Every date that moved belongs to a tenant.
The Center Has Kept Signing Tenants While Listed for Sale
In June, The Real Deal reported that Chicago-based Heitman had listed Pacific Commons, which it bought in 2013. The 84-acre center has nearly 900,000 square feet, was 92 percent leased and is anchored by Costco, Target and Lowe's. JLL is marketing it, and no asking price was disclosed. In September, a Silicon Valley Business Journal headline said DLC was eyeing a $235 million to $240 million purchase. The paper noted that a deal at that price would be California's second-largest retail sale of the year.
The city's August newsletter said the Barnes & Noble lease "reflects Pacific Commons' continued ability to attract major retailers despite being listed for sale." The same item gave the center's occupancy as about 92 percent and named Miniso, H Mart and Slice House as recent or upcoming tenants. The Real Deal's report on the listing named H Mart's planned store alongside the three anchors. It also cited CoStar data showing Silicon Valley retail vacancy at 3.8 percent in the second quarter of 2026, with tenants absorbing nearly 590,000 square feet over the prior year. Over the same period, elevated borrowing costs kept many property buyers on the sidelines.
Retailers have kept leasing space here while property buyers have moved more slowly, which is how the center can be for sale and still be adding stores. The Real Deal also pointed to what's nearby. Tesla's 6.2 million-square-foot Fremont factory is a few miles away, along with a growing cluster of semiconductor, robotics, battery and advanced manufacturing companies. The Business Journal credited that employment base with making the center one of the region's most sought-after retail properties.
Planning a Pacific Commons Holiday Weekend Around the Fixed Dates
For Warm Springs and south Fremont households, the season looks like this:
- Sunday, November 29, 6 to 8 p.m. The tree lighting near Market Broiler, with Santa photos and free activities for kids.
- December. Barnes & Noble's stated opening month at 43598 Christy Street. Watch the store page for the exact day.
- Anytime. Miniso, listed with regular hours in the center directory, plus the Costco, Target and Lowe's anchors.
- Check before you go. Slice House at 43456 S. Boscell Road.
Our team follows changes like these block by block across Warm Springs and the rest of Fremont. If you'd like to talk about what Pacific Commons' new tenants and possible sale could mean for your part of town, reach out to Joe Schembri. Let's Connect.
