“Blossom Hall” Coming to Historic Masonic Lodge in San Gabriel

A Rendering of Blossom Market Hall at the San Gabriel Masonic Lodge (Photo – office42 architecture)

Chris and Nellie Tran had been looking for the perfect building for a food hall when they found the old Masonic Lodge in the San Gabriel Mission District and were thrilled to discover it was for sale.

By Cheryl Cabot

Although the Trans had grown up in the San Gabriel Valley, they were away for more than ten years and moved back to be near family when their son Casper was born. They visited restaurants and malls with their son in Alhambra, Pasadena and Santa Anita and began to wonder why the San Gabriel Valley did not have a food hall.  “We feel so fortunate to have found this building in this walkable district near historically significant buildings.” Tran said.

After buying the building last September, the Trans went to the San Gabriel Planning Commission with their initial plans. The Commission made suggestions and held a public hearing on the project.

Nellie said: “Part of the reason we got so much support from the community is because we are not tearing down the building, and we are not adding on to it. We want to retain 90% of its exterior. We want to see this area become more of a walkable district and have people bike here or take alternative transportation.”

Mark Lazzaretto, City Manager of San Gabriel has stated:

Blossom Hall has the potential to serve as an anchor in the Mission District to draw in local families as well as foodies from throughout the San Gabriel Valley. By providing a variety of food options, a communal dining experience and a space for the community to connect, it has all the right ingredients to be successful.

The Trans have hired office42 architecture for the building design and Sheila Buchanan Designs for the website.  They plan to start construction in June 2019 and open in the Summer of 2020.

A Rendering of Blossom Market Hall interior (Photo – office42 architecture)

A craft brewery, a coffee shop, a dessert place and a hamburger vendor

Built in 1949, the Masonic Lodge has with 9,000 sq. ft. on the main level and 2,000 sq. ft. on the second level. On the main floor, two large rooms will hold stalls for 13 vendors, some with full kitchens.  A craft brewery, a coffee shop, a dessert place and a hamburger vendor have approached the Trans.  There will be seating throughout the building, including a large patio; beer will be in a designated area.  The existing stage will be available for additional seating and possibly music nights.

The Trans will maintain the historical significance of the building by keeping the vaulted ceilings and beams as well as the some old light fixtures. Skylights will be added to bring in more natural light. A mural will be painted on part of the food court ceiling over the acoustic panels. “We personally don’t like restaurants that are too loud, so we wanted to find a way to calm the noise down in this area,” Chris said. “The mural will follow the theme of the Blossom Market Hall.”

Why Blossom Market?

The market hall gets its name “Blossom” from Nellie. “I love the jacaranda trees here,” she said, “and we wanted to capture that.”

Upstairs will be a Wi-Fi lounge seating area with original lighting. An original window looks down on the food court, keeping the two areas connected. An elevator and additional ADA restrooms will be added.

Adjacent to the Wi-Fi lounge will be a conference room and an art gallery. Windows that have been covered for years will be uncovered to bring in natural light. The ceiling will be opened to make it a little higher and a mezzanine will be added overlooking the food court.

The theme of “giving back to the community” runs through conversations with the Trans. They are thrilled to become part of the San Gabriel community. “We are so happy that the community is excited about our project and has embraced us,” Nellie said.

> Applications are being taken to become a vendor at the new Blossom Market Hall. For inquiries please contact hello@blossommarkethall.com.