SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Get ready for the next course: The Market at Santa Monica Place will officially open on May 20, 2011, with a slate of unique specialty food names in the highly anticipated, artisanal food experience.
The opening of The Market on the third-level Dining Deck is the next major milestone in the reinvention of Santa Monica Place, the majority of which opened in August 2010, and will bring an exciting new layer to the project, offering a compelling and convenient location for shoppers to indulge in creative culinary pursuits.
The Dining Deck already is a star attraction at Santa Monica Place, with six distinguished chef-driven restaurants, including La Sandia, Ozumo, Pizza Antica, Sonoma Wine Garden, Xino and Zengo, and a modern, indoor-outdoor food court - all with stunning ocean and city views. The evolution of Santa Monica Place will continue even after the introduction of The Market, as the remainder of the center's third-level- 45,000 square feet special to be determined use above Bloomingdale's - takes shape.
"There is a great deal of anticipation building for The Market and we are very excited now to share the official opening date," said Michael Guerin, vice president, Leasing, for Macerich. "We first announced The Market about a year ago, and ever since we continue to hear how people look forward to this new concept. It's clear that there is real local demand to be able to pick up terrific organic, gourmet food items in the same location they already are visiting for wonderful meals on the Dining Deck."
Adding a unique spin to the already strong food focus of the Dining Deck, The Market at Santa Monica Place will be a collection of independently owned purveyors of high-quality, artisan, organic, sustainable and gourmet food offerings and will include "foundational foods," such as meats, olive oil, cheeses, breads, fruits and vegetables, in addition to gourmet ingredients, prepared foods and related merchandise, such as fresh flowers and one-of-a-kind gifts.
"Momentum is building for The Market at Santa Monica Place and we look forward to announcing even more distinctive purveyor names in the months ahead," said Guerin. "Right now we are in final discussions, however there is still opportunity for a select number of additional purveyors, and we would love to hear from local entrepreneurs who want to be part of our groundbreaking new concept in Santa Monica."
Purveyors announced to date for The Market:
Venokado
The second location for this hip and eclectic wine shop owned by Susan Brink, Molly Brink and Tracy Hof in West Hollywood marries intriguing vintages with hard-to-find, beautifully packaged gifts. The store's locally famous "clutch gifts" artfully pair bottles with color-coordinated gift items - from rare art books and witty housewares to organic baby toys. A tasting room adds to the experiential flavor of this concept at The Market at Santa Monica Place.
L'Artisan du Chocolat
Magnificent, hand-painted French chocolates are the star at the second location for this charming, L.A. boutique owned by a husband-and-wife team. Choose from classic flavors or more exotic, seasonal creations - imagine kalamata olive, cucumber & vodka, fennel and much more.
N'Ice Cream
Freshly made every morning, more than 85 flavors of organic, free-trade gelato and sorbet from N'Ice Cream are rare treats. Expanding from its sole location down the beach in Venice, N'Ice Cream tempts with flavors both familiar - like banana, caramel and strawberry - and unusual, like elderflower.
Rockenwagner Bakery
The latest location of this local favorite from longtime Los Angeles chef/restaurateur Hans Rockenwagner features handcrafted and artisanal baked goods - from scones and pastries to breads and pretzels. Locals love ginger scones, blueberry bran muffins, plum streusel and "pretzel" baguettes. An exciting first is a watch-it-bake souffle bar, offering an array of main course and dessert souffles.
The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories and Community Kitchen
A favorite local baking expert, French native Clemence Gossett of Gourmandise Desserts opens a sweet and savory cooking school at Santa Monica Place with two teaching kitchens and state-of-the-art equipment. On the menu: three- and four-hour classes, chef demonstrations, special events, cookbook signings and community partnerships.
The Curious Palate, owned by Elliot Rubin and Mark Cannon, is a market, kitchen and cafe specializing in artisan foods and farm-to-table service; in its market shoppers find hand-picked culinary items from around the world, including artisan olive oils, vinegars, pastas, grains and legumes, local ciders and chocolates.
Kings Road is a popular Los Angeles gathering spot with an outstanding reputation for superior coffee made from house-roasted, heirloom beans.
The new Santa Monica Place is a three-level, all-open-air shopping and dining destination located just two blocks from the beach in Santa Monica. Opened in August 2010, Santa Monica Place features Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, CB2, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Burberry, Love Culture, AllSaints Spitalfields and many other exciting retail attractions.
The third-level Dining Deck offers spectacular ocean and city views, and stars six, chef-driven restaurants and a modern, all-glass food court for casual dining. The center offers a unique and popular "valet and play" parking program complete with three separate valet locations - Broadway, 4th Street and 2nd Street -and all Dining Deck guests receive three hours complimentary Valet parking.
To get the latest news about the new Santa Monica Place, visit http://www.santamonicaplace.com/ and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SantaMonicaPlace.
Santa Monica Place's parent company, Macerich(R) (NYSE: MAC), which has been headquartered in Santa Monica for more than 30 years, is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. Macerich now owns approximately 73 million square feet of gross leaseable area consisting primarily of interests in 71 regional malls. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company's website at www.macerich.com.
SOURCE The Market at Santa Monica Place