Joining Jacksonville’s growing Asian-influenced retail landscape, New York City-based Teso Life intends to open a department store at the former Conn’s HomePlus and Rooms To Go space in Arlington.
Teso Life, which calls itself a Japanese fashion casual life product department store, confirms it has leased the vacant building at 9278 Arlington Expressway, near Regency Square Mall, and intends to open in May.
Teso Life carries products in the categories of health and beauty; grocery and beverage; housewares; and kitchenware. It also carries office products, bath and bath fixtures, car accessories, pet supplies, toys and items for kids and babies.
The 29,893-square-foot building was developed in 1998 for Rooms To Go, which left in September 2021 when the furniture store opened a new store in The Markets at Town Center.
Conn’s HomePlus, which sold furniture and appliances, then leased the building from 2022 until 2024, when Conn’s Inc. filed in July 2024 for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The building is in the Regency Court Shopping Center, where Arlington Expressway and Atlantic Boulevard meet, east of Southside Boulevard.
A representative for Teso Life said Feb. 11 that the building doesn’t require a lot of construction.
He said the Teso Life team explored Florida and, with a real estate agent, “found a spot they highly recommended.”
“It’s a great place,” he said.
He said hiring would start about March.
Expanding concept
The representative said Teso Life is a U.S.-based company with plans to expand.
Tesolife.com shows 27 stores are open and 32 are coming soon in a total 20 states coast to coast.
It operates one Florida store in Orlando, with a Miami location coming soon.
The Regency location is listed as coming soon.
Teso Life says it was founded in May 2017 and is headquartered in Queens, New York.
It says it collaborates with “well-known Japanese suppliers and developers to provide high quality, diverse, convenient products and efficient services to its customers.”
“Committing to providing global consumers with truly ‘high-quality, creative, low-cost’ products, Teso Life strives to lead in fashion, leisure, and consumer frontier market with its ‘Affordable Premium Product’ style.”
It also sells online.
The city is reviewing permits for six signs on the Regency Court building at a combined estimated project cost of $33,000.
The six comprise four Teso Life and two Asian Department Store signs.
Through RTG Jax Investors LLC, Forness Properties LLC of Winter Park bought the 1.49-acre Regency Court store property in June 2022 from a Rooms To Go affiliate.
Monte Mitchell, director of leasing and sales for Forness Properties, said by email Feb. 11 that Teso Life will occupy the entire building.
“Bringing a global brand like Teso Life is a major win for the property and the area,” Mitchell said.
“It’ll boost foot traffic for Regency Court and add new retail diversity to the Arlington Corridor.”
Asian market expanding
The Teso Life representative said the retailer’s goal is to educate and introduce more Asian culture and products to the market.
Its office is in the Flushing neighborhood in Queens, a borough of New York City.
At nyctourism.com, New York City Tourism + Conventions promotes the area. “Dynamic Flushing holds Queens’ Chinatown, its bustling main blocks lined with herbal shops and Asian bakeries and restaurants. The neighborhood is quite lush, too; indeed, it’s home to the borough’s botanical garden and one of NYC’s largest parks.”
In Jacksonville, Teso Life Asian Department Store will be less than a mile from Asian specialty Lotte Plaza Market.
The Teso Life spokesman said the stores share similar audiences.
Over the past two years, several Asian products stores have opened or indicated interest in opening or expanding in Northeast Florida.
• Korean-American supermarket chain H Mart is exploring a 53,000-square-foot space in an existing building at 8801 Southside Blvd. in Timberlin Village shopping center. An LLC linked to H Mart bought the center in December 2025 for $13.25 million. Previously anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, the center is just south of the ramp to Interstate 95.
• Lotte Plaza Market opened in September 2025 in the former Best Buy at 9355 Atlantic Blvd. in the Regency area of Arlington. The 45,985-square-foot Asian specialty supermarket includes a food hall selling Chinese, Japanese and Korean fare and the Tous les Jours French-Asian bakery. Maryland-based Lotte Plaza Market sells products from China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and other nations.
• RD International Market opened in 2024 in a former Winn-Dixie at 7534 Beach Blvd. The 52,600-square-foot store features a food court and 70 live seafood tanks.
• The owner of Enson Market bought the Winn-Dixie supermarket along Old St. Augustine Road, indicating the conversion of the property for the Asian and international foods grocer. The grocery has locations in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio and Virginia.
• Indian marketplace Patel Brothers plans to anchor the developing Shops at Racetrack Rd in St. Johns County. The chain has operated a store at 9551 Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville for about a decade.