TESO Life — ‘Asian Target’ store — to open Saturday in Naperville
Naperville residents’ chance to shop till they drop at what some have described as the Asian version of a Target store arrives Saturday.
New York-based retail and lifestyle chain TESO Life is opening its 18,016-square-foot store in Naperville, marking the first in a slew of Asian businesses slated for the remodeled shopping center at North Aurora Road and Raymond Drive.
Since Houston-based real estate company NewQuest announced plans two years ago to redevelop the strip mall, the former Riverbrook Shopping Center has been transformed into NPV City Market.
At the beginning of the year, NewQuest announced seven Asian businesses were planned for the plaza, with the possibility of more on the way.
Kitakata Ramen plans to open in the fall, according to Jason Ostick, general manager for the restaurant’s Hoffman Estates location.
National supermarket chain 99 Ranch Market is expected to open its first Illinois location at NPV City Market in 2027, Naperville Development Partnership President Monica Conners said. One of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the country, the supermarket is known for its hot deli section with dim sum and Chinese BBQ meats.
Other businesses previously announced for the center include Fat Miilk Coffee, Ba Le Sandwiches, Tokyo Shokudo and Gen Korean BBQ.
Founded in May 2017 by entrepreneur Andy Lin, TESO Life describes itself as an Asian department store that carries everything from homeware and lifestyle products to toys and collectibles. The company’s first storefront debuted in 2018 and has since developed something of a cult following, with social media users frequently sharing their TESO Life beauty “must-haves” and taste testing snacks not commonly found in the U.S.
“If you’ve never been to Asia, technically you can just visit our TESO Life store to explore our Asian culture,” said Su Jeon, marketing manager for TESO Group. “We like to be a cultural hub.”
Customers can look forward to munching on Chinese, Korean and Japanese snacks. For something salty, the store carries cucumber- and numbing spice-flavored Lay’s potato chips from China. For a sweet treat, it offers matcha- and strawberry-flavored KitKats from Japan.
Fans of collectibles can peruse the company’s blind boxes for characters like Smiski, Sonny Angel and Hello Kitty. Those looking to enhance their make-up collection can try anti-aging cream from Korean skincare brand Anua or eyeshadow from Chinese beauty brand Judydoll.
Since opening its first store, TESO Life has grown with more than two dozen locations across the U.S. The brand recently expanded its footprint with stores in Novi, Michigan, and Boston, Massachusetts, according to news reports. The Jacksonville Business Journal has reported that the chain’s largest North American store opens Friday in Jacksonville, Florida.
TESO Life already has a presence in Illinois, opening its Niles location last year. The company plans to add another Illinois store in Rolling Meadows later this year.
As part of their opening in Naperville, TESO Life will celebrate with exclusive items available Saturday through Monday. The store is giving away a free monkey pin with any purchase and those who spend more than $50 will receive a snack bag. Spend $100 or more, and you will receive a monkey keychain and surprise gift bag in addition to the pin.
The store, located at 1555 N. Aurora Road, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.