Following Dallas, the Japanese retail brand 'TESO Life' has finally opened its doors in San Antonio.
People flocked to the store after hearing the news, and posts on social media quickly spread with comments like 'It was worth the wait in line' along with photos. This large store, measuring a whopping 26,000 square feet, is more than just a supermarket; it can be considered a rare Asian cultural experience venue in San Antonio.
A few days after the opening news, I visited on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. The location is inside the University Square shopping center on the northwest side of San Antonio, and fortunately, I was able to park easily and enter right away.
As soon as I walked in, I realized this was not just a 'supermarket.' It felt more like a colorful Japanese variety store with vibrant colors and lighting rather than a typical grocery store. The grocery section had basic ingredients like sesame oil, Kewpie mayonnaise, and Japanese curry blocks, but the majority was filled with packaged snacks, instant noodles, ice cream, and candies.
Inside the store, pop music was playing loudly, and there were arcade-style claw machines everywhere, creating a sensory storm. The ramen and ice cream sections, which had sold out during the weekend opening, were still empty, but it was impressive to see employees continuously carrying boxes to restock the shelves.
And it's not just food. The beauty products section is almost at a department store level. There are various types of scalp massagers, and face masks, neck masks, hand masks, and foot masks are lined up. Citrus-flavored toothpaste, colorful rubber gloves, and lychee-scented eye wash...
There were many products that I had never seen even at Daiso in LA, making me wonder, 'What is this?'
Among them are some household items. The ceramic bowls, mugs, rice bowls, and soup bowls are all decorated with cute designs, and the prices are very reasonable. A pretty soup bowl for $1.99 is even cheaper than at a thrift shop. It's perfect for when you want to change the atmosphere of your kitchen at home.
And what really surprised me was the 'cart.' Usually, carts only move forward, and you have to exert force to turn them, right? But here, the wheels can move sideways, allowing you to glide left and right as if dancing. You can shop smoothly without having to make three-point turns in narrow aisles, which was incredibly convenient. I think other supermarkets should learn from this idea.
Of course, since everything has a 'Japanese sensibility,' there were some unfamiliar aspects. For example, I was excited to see 'Texas Grilled BBQ' written on Lay's potato chips, so I bought them, but... the taste was like a completely sweet candy. There was no hint of the usual barbecue flavor. It was just Texas in name. Another interesting thing was that instead of beef jerky, 'dried squid' is sold as the main snack. The more you chew, the more umami flavor it has, and the spicy version is truly the best beer snack.
In the dessert section, thin Oreos caught my eye. Flavors like strawberry, peach, matcha, cheesecake, and grape-peach mix were all tempting. Each little box was a temptation. Honestly, my Oreo addiction has gotten worse.
TESO Life is designed with Japanese sensibility in mind, from colors, scents, sounds, to even the movement of the carts. The retail landscape in San Antonio is gradually becoming more multicultural, and TESO certainly leaves a strong impression among them.
If you're nearby, be sure to stop by. You might feel like you've visited Little Tokyo rather than just shopping.
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