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Three new businesses have opened at The District at Tustin Legacy in 2025 with two more openings planned for later this year.
Additions to the shopping center’s dining options include dessert and drink spot Café 86, best known for its ube pastries and beverages, which opened last month. Another sweet spot joining the promenade later in 2025 will be French patisserie Le Macaron.
A new Asian cuisine concept opened next to the AMC movie theater called The District Eatery, serving customizable and signature bowls with toppings and sauces. Protein options include Korean BBQ beef and chicken, teriyaki pork, fried tofu and honey garlic shrimp.
The District, Orange County’s fourth biggest shopping center, generated $636.5 million in sales for the year ended June 30, 2024. While stores on its periphery like Costco and Target have proven popular, The District’s mall area near the movie theater has long seen a variety of businesses come and go.
The District’s newest tenant Jini Mini sells a “selection of skincare from South Korea, organic teas from France, toys from global brands and stylish accessories from Japan.” It joins the fray of curated gift shops featuring international plush toys, Korean beauty products and other branded accessories from overseas that are popping up more frequently in Orange County malls.
In July, a new gaming venue will open in The District’s promenade area called Activate Games. The company says it offers “the world’s first active gaming facility” by blending physical activity and interactive technology together in a series of “game rooms” where groups of players can track progress and gain points.
Activate has over 40 different locations across Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Dubai. This is the first facility in Orange County, and the fifth in California.
The District at Tustin Legacy, managed by Vestar, has 1 million square feet of gross leasable space.
A few miles north at Irvine Company’s The Market Place, retailer Miniso opened its second largest storefront in the U.S. and the seventh in Orange County earlier in March. The shop stocks Japanese-design led products such as Tokyo-based Sanrio’s Hello Kitty characters and other global IP accessories from Disney to Harry Potter.
Simon Targets Outdoor Venues at 2 OC Malls
Elsewhere in Orange County, another shopping center is boarding the redevelopment and expansion train.
Real estate investment trust Simon, owner of The Shops at Mission Viejo, said in March that the mall will undergo a multimillion-dollar expansion that will add 50,000 square feet of retail and dining space.
Simon will develop a new “outdoor village” focused on open-air experiences from outdoor dining terraces to new green spaces.
“Outdoor living is such an integral part of the Orange County lifestyle, and creating more open-air experiences is a significant point of emphasis in our plans,” General Manager Patsy Sanquist said in a statement.
Construction at The Shops at Mission Viejo is scheduled to start later this year and end in late 2026, opening in time for the holiday shopping season.
New restaurants coming to the mall include North Italia and Pacific Catch with more concepts to be announced soon. A two-level Arhaus, which sells artisan-crafted and responsibly sourced home furnishings, and Japanese retailer Uniqlo will also join The Shops’ current 150 tenants.
Uniqlo, whose only storefront in Orange County has been at South Coast Plaza, is stepping up its local presence.
It is opening a second Orange County location at Simon-owned Brea Mall on April 25.
Simon is giving the 48-year-old Brea Mall a multimillion-dollar makeover, which also focuses on an outdoor expansion. The enclosed mall is adding a 119,000-square-foot outdoor retail and dining plaza.
Last month, Simon announced nine tenants at the mall with the noteworthy addition of Irvine-based Rivian to previously announced tenants such as popular dumpling restaurant Din Tai Fung and the luxury fitness gym Life Time.