Nick the Greek coming to developing Modesto shopping center. What else is opening there?

Wood Colony Plaza in Modesto is getting a face-lift — and some new tenants.

Construction crews have been busy renovating the exteriors of a number of units in the Pelandale Avenue shopping center, readying for a new anchor store, two restaurants and a gym.

One of the restaurants, Nick the Greek , will be Stanislaus County’s second location of the chain — also the second in all of the Central Valley. The first is in Riverbank’s Crossroads Shopping Center.

Nick the Greek is a Mediterranean street food restaurant established in San Jose by three cousins of Greek descent, all named Nick.

It specializes in gyros and pitas stuffed with fries, souvlakis (Greek meat skewers), bowls, soups, salads and desserts, including baklava.

Jerry Ajlouny is the owner of the Riverbank franchise. He also owns locations in Livermore and Castro Valley.

Ajlouny told The Modesto Bee in September 2023 that he had plans to open a site in Modesto by the fall of 2024. A Tuesday morning call to the Riverbank restaurant confirmed that he is the franchisee of the Nick the Greek opening at 3900 Pelandale Ave., Suite 430.

The suite is a corner unit next to Mena and Company Salon.

An opening date has not yet been announced, but according to a Stanislaus County health inspection report , the rough plumbing inspection has been passed and the facility is not yet approved to operate until the opening inspection is passed.

What else is opening in Wood Colony Plaza?

Vallarta Supermarkets, a 54-store Mexican grocery chain throughout California, soon will occupy the space that once housed Save Mart in Wood Colony Plaza.

Save Mart closed in early 2010, moving into a larger space less than a quarter mile down the road. The site has been vacant since.

Vallarta was founded by the Gonzalez family in 1985 as a carniceria in Van Nuys, selling traditional cuts of meats popular in Mexico. The chain now has more than 10 departments including La Isla (a juice bar), The Cremeria (Vallarta’s version of a deli), La Cocina (a ready-made hot food kitchen) and, of course, a carniceria.

The Gonzalez family plans to open the Pelandale store by the end of the year.

Vallarta is hiring full- and part-time employees, offering weekly pay, a 401(K) plan, sick pay and a free cupcake on your birthday. Spanish is not required, according to a flier posted in a window.

Open positions pay between $17.25 and $33.38 per hour. Visit vallartasupermarkets.com for more information.

A Planet Fitness will occupy half of the former Rite Aid building in the shopping center, according to Vintage Properties, Wood Colony Plaza’s property management company.

An office is open for membership presales next to Me N Ed’s Pizza Parlor weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from noon to 6 p.m.

New members can join for $1 down and can lock in pre-opening rates, saving $60 per year. Memberships start at $15 per month.

The 24-hour/5-day-a-week gym will open at 3900 Pelandale Ave. on Nov. 18.

A Thai restaurant, Thai Buri, also is coming to Wood Colony Plaza. It will sit next to Vintage Properties and Tandoori Masala Indian Cuisine in suite 155.

The owner could not be reached for comment and the restaurant’s website and social media accounts have not been updated with information.

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