Vallarta Supermarkets opened in Indio two years ago. Now it's at the center of a retail explosion

Andrew L. John, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·3 min read
A Vallarta Supermarket is one of the new retail developments that have opened near Interstate 10 and Jackson St. in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022.
A Vallarta Supermarket is one of the new retail developments that have opened near Interstate 10 and Jackson St. in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022.

Vallarta Supermarkets opened at Indio Towne Center, just north of Interstate 10, in October 2020. It was the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and a difficult time for businesses that were grappling with various restrictions and operating mandates in California.

Two years later, Vallarta, a specialty market that caters to Latino communities, has emerged from those challenges as a popular spot in the shopping district and is now at the center of an explosion of retail growth on both sides of Jackson Street in North Indio.

The area was barren fewer than 15 years ago, before WinCo Foods, Home Depot and Walmart were built. In the years since, more than three dozen other retail businesses, from clothing stores to fast food restaurants, have opened in the area. The arrival of a Dunkin Donuts was a particularly big deal in 2016, joining Chipotle, iHop, Starbucks, Panda Express, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., and other establishments.

But the largest growth in the area may have come over the last two years.

Fast food, banks and gas stations are some of the new businesses that have opened over the past few years near Jackson St., left, in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022.
Fast food, banks and gas stations are some of the new businesses that have opened over the past few years near Jackson St., left, in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022.

Since Vallarta opened, several other retail stores have followed. Dave’s Hot Chicken opened to rave reviews last year, and El Pollo Loco and Sushi Kitto are among those that have opened this year. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, Ono Hawaiian BBQ and Texas Roadhouse are among the others scheduled to open either this year or in early 2023.

Also under construction is a hotel, which will be situated  next to Vallarta, and a Raising Cane’s that will sit next to Walmart, in addition to other businesses that have not yet been announced, Indio City Manager Bryan Montgomery confirmed in an email.

Montgomery shared information with The Desert Sun that highlighted how Indio Towne Center now has the most in-person visits of all major shopping centers in the area.

“All this provides significant sales tax revenue, additional property tax revenue, jobs and a higher quality of life for our residents,” Montgomery said. “Indio is ‘taking center stage’ and much more is on the horizon!”

The rapid growth at Indio Towne Center has been a boon to existing businesses, including Vallarta, which has 58 stores in California and offers specialty items not found in most American supermarkets.

Dozens of new retail businesses, restaurants and big box stores have set up shop over the past few years near Interstate 10 and Jackson St. in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022.
Dozens of new retail businesses, restaurants and big box stores have set up shop over the past few years near Interstate 10 and Jackson St. in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022.

Attached to the store is the Sayulita Tap Room, an adjoining sports bar. On a recent Sunday in October, the place was packed with more than 75 people in-house to watch NFL games. The bar also shows international soccer games and the biggest fights in boxing.

“The last Canelo fight,” store manager Christopher Reynaga said of boxing icon Canelo Alvarez, “this place was packed. It feels like a gathering place in the community.”

At Vallarta, there’s also a Floral department, a “Healthy Corner” for fresh fruit and made-to-order smoothies, a “tortilleria” for fresh tortillas made in-house daily, a bakery with dozens of Mexican pastries and treats, and a popular meat and cheese counter with several offerings unique to Vallarta.

Vallarta also has what is best described as a food court, with fresh carnitas, carne asada, tamales and other Mexican-inspired warm foods that are offered for lunch and dinner plates.

“It’s a totally unique and clean shopping experience,” Indio resident Jeremy Ferguson said. “They’ve even got the brewery in there and the fresh sushi, too. It’s great.”

Reynaga, the store’s manager, moved to the area two years ago from the San Fernando Valley to help open the business. He had no knowledge of North Indio before he came but said that he’s been encouraged by the new businesses that have opened during his short time in the area.

Reynaga believes that growth is good for not just Vallarta, but other businesses at Indio Towne Center following what was a difficult period for retail businesses.

“This is all good for the community,” Reynaga said. “All of these businesses are bringing people to the area, and then maybe they’ll discover a store they didn’t already know about. I think that’s how a lot of people are finding us.”

Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA Today Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com and find him on Twitter at @Andrew_L_John.

A Vallarta Supermarket, right, is one of the new retail businesses that have opened near Interstate 10 and Jackson St. in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022. New retail construction, left, will bring even more businesses to the area soon.
A Vallarta Supermarket, right, is one of the new retail businesses that have opened near Interstate 10 and Jackson St. in north Indio, Calif., Oct. 18, 2022. New retail construction, left, will bring even more businesses to the area soon.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Vallarta opened in Indio in 2020, where there's now a retail explosion