MARTINEZ — Ross Dress for Less is planning a new East Bay retail location and has leased a former pharmacy store site through a long-term rental agreement, public documents show.

The discount retailer agreed to lease one of the large anchor spaces within Village Oaks Shopping Center near the interchange of State Route 4 and Morello Drive, according to documents filed at the end of April with the Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office.

Interior of an empty store within the Village Oaks Shopping Center at 1165 Arnold Drive in Martinez, seen on April 30, 2025. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)

The space is in the vicinity of 25,000 square feet. Rite Aid had previously operated a pharmacy store at that location.

Village Oaks Shopping Center has addresses that include 1125 and 1145 Arnold Drive.

In recent years, Ross Stores has been seeking some Bay Area sites for expansion as the discount retailer seeks new store locations.

The Ross Stores deals show that some retailers are taking over Bay Area spaces where struggling stores had once operated.

Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and has since revealed plans to close at least 800 stores nationwide. Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid is also cutting jobs in the Bay Area.

Ross in December signed a lease for a San Jose store at 1030 South White Road in east San Jose. Ross leased 23,700 square feet at that location.

By happenstance, Rite Aid had previously occupied the San Jose site. Ross Stores signed a 10-year lease in San Jose, with multiple extensions.

As for the Martinez site, Ross Stores signed a 10-year lease with the potential for multiple extensions of the initial term of the rental agreement, county documents show.