Rob AriasA steady stream of retail and service developments has taken shape in Emeryville since our January 2026 report. Highlights include the grand opening of one Bay Bridge Shopping Center retailer and the announcement of another, the long-awaited ribbon cutting and mural debut at Planet Fitness, and a noticeable uptick in Peerspace bookings across the community.
Boot Barn To East Bay Bridge Shopping Center?
California-founded western wear chain Boot Barn appears poised to open a new location at the East Bay Shopping Center in Emeryville, taking over the vacant space next to Total Wine & More. While no building permits have been filed to date, steady construction activity has been visible over the past two weeks, and a store manager position for Emeryville is currently listed on Indeed.com.
The space is part of the former 40,000-square-foot Decathlon store, which was subdivided following that retailer’s closure. Approximately 25,000 square feet was leased to Total Wine, leaving roughly 15,000 square feet available — a footprint that aligns closely with Boot Barn’s typical store size.
Boot Barn sells cowboy and work boots, denim, hats and other western-style and work apparel for men, women and children. The Emeryville store is part of the company’s broader expansion across California and the U.S.
Industry analysts have pointed to what’s been dubbed the “Yellowstone effect” — a surge in consumer interest in Western-inspired fashion following the popularity of the television drama Yellowstone. The trend has been credited with driving increased demand for cowboy hats, boots and denim in recent years, benefiting retailers like Boot Barn. The company’s stock price has risen sharply over the past five years amid that growth.
Boot Barn has several Bay Area locations with the nearest existing location being Vallejo.
Boot Barn: 3938 Horton St, Emeryville, CA 94608.
Burlington Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
National off-price chain Burlington will open its latest East Bay location Friday, Feb. 27, marking its 123rd store in California and adding another anchor to the Bay Bridge retail corridor. The Emeryville outpost arrives in the company’s newer “reimagined” format, with wider aisles, simplified layouts and updated signage — an attempt to streamline the brand’s trademark treasure-hunt shopping experience. Like other Burlington stores, new merchandise will rotate in weekly, with discounts advertised at up to 60% below traditional retailers.
An 8:45 a.m. ribbon cutting will mark the opening, during which the company plans to present a $5,000 donation to Anna Yates Elementary School through its partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org. The first 100 adult shoppers on Feb. 27 and 28 will receive a $10 bonus card. Regular store hours will run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., further expanding Emeryville’s growing cluster of value-oriented apparel and home goods retailers.
Burlington: 2829 Emery St. #300 Emeryville, CA 94608.
Planet Fitness Ribbon Cutting & Mural Reveal
Planet Fitness officially cut the ribbon on its Emeryville location Monday, February 16, drawing a steady crowd despite rainy weather. While the long-awaited gym opening was the headline, much of the attention focused on the large-scale exterior mural conceived by local artist Timothy Bluitt of the Bay Area Mural Program.
The mural was funded by the property owner through the City of Emeryville’s Art in Public Places (AiPP) ordinance. Established in 1990, the program requires new commercial and sizable residential developments to allocate 1% of construction costs toward public art or contribute to the City’s AiPP fund.
Grand Fitness CEO Wayne Orvis attended the event — one of two openings he marked that day, along with Watsonville — and noted he was unaware of another Planet Fitness location featuring a custom mural of this scale, making Emeryville’s gym something of a standout within the chain.
Residents watched the piece take shape over several weeks, as artists worked through wet winter conditions to finish it in time for opening day. The mural features portraits inspired by actual gym members and incorporates an augmented reality layer accessible through the Black Terminus AR app, allowing select elements to animate digitally — reinforcing the idea that technology can amplify, rather than replace, public art.
A full roster of contributing artists is listed on this recent @bamp_art instagram post. Several have established reputations within the Bay Area mural and street art community — credentials that often serve as an informal safeguard against defacement. Meanwhile, the building’s rear wall facing the skatepark continues to be maintained as a rotating canvas for artists.
Planet Fitness: 4349 San Pablo Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608.
Peerspace Bookings
Peerspace bookings are emerging as a quiet but notable contributor to local economic activity, particularly in cities like Emeryville with dense creative and commercial districts.
The San Francisco–based platform connects property owners with individuals and businesses seeking short-term rentals for meetings, photo shoots, productions, workshops and other private events.
Unlike traditional event venues, Peerspace listings often include storefronts, studios, offices and other underutilized commercial spaces — creating a supplemental revenue stream for landlords and small businesses. In markets with fluctuating retail demand and rising vacancies, these short-term bookings can help activate otherwise idle space while drawing visitors who may also patronize nearby shops and restaurants.
At least a half dozen locations within Emeryville are listed. Many of these appear to be the clubhouses and rooftop decks of large multifamily apartment complexes that the landlord is making available to the public.
Browse local locations on Peerspace.com.
Love the business opening updates. One place I’ve been wanting to know about is the Sweetgreens that’s been under construction on the outside of the Public Market. I am a frequent customer and would rather drive several blocks to this location (and contribute my money to my beloved community of Emeryville) then have to drive all the way over to the other side of Berkeley, as I find myself doing almost weekly to get my Sweetgreens fix. Does anyone know why it’s taking so long to open this new location?
I wish I knew! The website still says “Coming Soon” so presumably they have not backed out.