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Wood Investments Companies Acquires Single-Tenant Building Occupied by 99 Cents Stores in Chino Hills for Value-Add Opportunity

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ACQUISITION ALERT

A leading California commercial real estate investment and management company specializing in retail, announced today the acquisition of a single-tenant retail investment occupied by 99 Cents Only Stores totaling 28,240 square feet on 2.09 acres in Chino Hills, California. The purchase price was $2.5 million.

99 Cents Only is located at 4050 Chino Hills Parkway in the Chino Hills Parkway shopping center, at the signalized intersection of Chino Hills Parkway and Pipeline Avenue, adjacent the 71 Chino Valley Freeway on/off-ramp.

According to Managing General Partner Patrick Wood of Wood Investments Companies, “Wood Investments Companies recognized a unique opportunity to purchase an infill, essential needs property at a discount to replacement cost in a highly desirable Chino Hills location. The current in-place rent is below-market providing Wood Investments Companies with the ability to capture significant future upside upon the expiration of the 99 Cents Only lease.”  

Wood Investments Companies plans to hold the property for cash flow until the end of the 99 Cents Only lease and will either negotiate a new lease with 99 Cents Only or another essential needs/grocery tenant at market rents. The execution of the business plan will take approximately three to five years to complete.  

“This is a great value-opportunity for us in the established trade area of Chino Hills,” said Wood. “We acquired the store at well-below the current replacement cost with well-below market rent, providing significant future upside.”

According to Wood, Grocery Outlet recently signed a lease in the former Big Lots space at the Chino Hills Parkway shopping center, proving the tremendous opportunity. Other tenants in the shopping center include 7-Eleven, Jack in the Box, AutoZone and H&R Block. Chino Hills Parkway Center is located in a dominant retail trade area that is surrounded by tremendous residential growth, superior existing demographics and features strong traffic counts (50,400 CPD) along Chino Hills Parkway. 

99 Cents Only is also located across the street from Chino Hills Marketplace and includes Smart & Final Extra!, Turner’s Outdoorsman, Rite Aid, Dollar Tree, Circle K, Starbucks, Chase, Bank of America, The Habit Burger Grill, Taco Bell, El Pollo Loco and Carl’s Jr.   

The 28,240-square-foot building, which was originally built in 1974 for Alpha Beta, allows for multiple re-tenanting strategies or even subdividing the space. “Chino Hills is poised to benefit from the tremendous growth that is occurring in surrounding cities including Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga,” Wood noted.  

The seller was represented by Patrick Wade, Alex Kozakov and Jake Hayutin of CBRE’s South Bay office in El Segundo, California. Wood Investments Companies, the buyer, was self-represented. Private equity real estate investment firm, JDI Realty, LLC of Chicago, is the lender. 

“Wood Investments Companies has continued to successfully acquire essential retail value-add and core-plus real estate,” Wood stated. “Despite COVID-19 causing significant disruption in the commercial real estate and mortgage markets, Wood Investments Companies is still equipped to close on new opportunities. Wood Investments Companies has significant expansion plans and will be an active buyer in the coming year.”    

Late last year, Wood Investments Companies purchased a two-property retail investment totaling nearly 300,000 square feet and 31.7 acres in Twin Falls, Idaho; a two-tenant retail investment occupied by Food 4 Less and Ross Dress For Less totaling nearly 94,000 square feet on 7.45 acres in San Bernardino, California; and a 7,002-square-foot, single-tenant, net-lease property occupied by Aaron’s in Bakersfield, California.

The Inland Empire Business Journal (IEBJ) is the official business news publication of Southern California’s Inland Empire region - covering San Bernardino & Riverside Counties.

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Fire Helmet Manufacturer Helps Disabled Community find Employment

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Riverside’s Phenix Technology Leads with Inclusion, Empowering the Disabled Community Through Workforce Training and Employer Education

Written by Logan Rosselli, IEBJ Content Contributor

In the heart of Riverside, off of Chicago Avenue, a small, but mighty team has been quietly manufacturing life-saving equipment for firefighters across the world for over 50 years. Phenix Technology Inc. is an internationally recognized fire helmet manufacturer who builds their products from start to finish right here in the Inland Empire. For their great products, they’ve received numerous awards such as the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Innovator of the Year, a 2016 “E” for Exports award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, a finalist position in the “Coolest Thing Made in California” competition and more. However, their most recent accolade doesn’t involve their products at all.

In 2024, Phenix founded the ground breaking “Opportunity for All” program to provide disabled community members with the opportunity to access career education, hands-on experience and employment opportunities through an 11 week training cohort. In this program, neurodivergent individuals wanting to find stable employment learn about standard hiring practices, writing a resume, effective interviewing and professional attire while getting on-the-job training with a partnered employer in the community. It has helped dozens of disabled community members to find a new sense of independence and achieve their full potential while helping local employers find dependable employees who bring a unique perspective to the workplace.

It’s for this program that the National Association of Workforce Development Boards (NAWB), a representative of over 570 workforce development boards across the United States, honored Phenix with the prestigious W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award in late March.

“While we take tremendous pride in the products we make, we also believe we have a mission to create a better world through developing opportunities,” said Angel Sanchez, CEO of Phenix Technology in a statement released in early April. “Opportunity for All has helped prove that individuals who have historically been excluded from the workforce don’t just contribute — they elevate organizations. We are honored to receive this national award and grateful to the partners who have helped us make this vision a reality.”

CEO Angel Sanchez Jr. accepts the NAWB Award

CEO Angel Sanchez Jr. accepts the NAWB Award

Though “Opportunity for All” is certainly the cornerstone program for the company, Phenix’s leadership team was not satisfied to leave their mission there. Thus, in 2024, the company founded its nonprofit arm, Phenix Gateway to offer more programs and advocacy to the community. Through Phenix Gateway, the company offers workforce development workshops for individuals who don’t need the full scale of the “Opportunity for All” program, but want to improve a specific skill like resume writing or workplace social skills.

However, Phenix knows that preparing disabled people for the workforce is only one end of the equation; the workforce also has to be prepared to accept the unique skills, perspectives and challenges of the disabled community. For this reason, Phenix Gateway offers employer training workshops as well as educational materials available to businesses and the community. Training programs cover a lot of ground, ranging from assistance with optimizing interviews for people with neurodevelopmental disorders to creating sensory-friendly environments in the workplace.

In Riverside, these programs have had a huge impact on the local community. As of March 2025, Phenix’s Opportunity for All program has had over two dozen participants and 44% found stable employment through or after the program. Their one-off workforce development workshops have seen over 200 participants learn new skills and help them find employment and the nonprofit currently partners with close to 90 businesses to assist them in their endeavor to create a more inclusive workforce.

Phenix Gateway staff helps a program participant with his skills

For businesses or community members interested in learning how they can support or participate in these programs, Phenix encourages them to reach out by email to info@phenixgateway.org and to attend their First Annual Gala: Rising Together, A Phenix Gateway Celebration, on Thursday, May 15th. Tickets for this event are available at phenixgateway.org.

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Supported by Local Leaders, CALED’s Annual Conference will be in Ontario this May

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Empowering Economic Growth: CALED Conference Set to Unite Industry Leaders in Ontario

CALED’s ‘Growing Local Economies from the Ground Up’ Conference is being held in Ontario at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport on May 7-9. This event is co-hosted by the City of Ontario and San Bernardino County, with Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, CALED’s Chair of the Board and Derek Armstrong respectively representing their city and county as Co-Chairs of the event.

With over 950 members and 45 years of empowering economic developers, CALED is the largest economic development association in the country and the annual conference is the number one place to meet and connect with the boots-on-the -ground, decision makers in our communities. 

The conference will include a pre-conference teaching tour, ‘Building & Paying for Development Projects’ on May 6th and then begin in full on May 7th, with a welcome session and breakouts. Overall, there will be four general assembly sessions and 18 breakout sessions, which will delve into local economic development practices and innovative tools.

In addition to compelling content, the conference will have numerous opportunities to connect with community leaders and valued peers through networking receptions, the culinary crawl, and new this year, the Tournament of Champions, where conference attendees will navigate a gauntlet of games to win the grand prize on the evening of Thursday, May 8th.

To learn more about the conference and register, visit the CALED website at www.caled.org.

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Strengthening Community Connections: Our Exciting New Partnership with Toyota Arena, Ontario Convention Center, and GOCAL

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Contributed Content | By Chris Venhoff, Senior Vice President and Inland Empire Market Leader for Consumer and Business Banking at U.S. Bank

As the Inland Empire market leader for U.S. Bank, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: we are proud to be the Official Bank Partner of Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center. This partnership represents a reflection of our deep commitment to the Inland Empire and our dedication to fostering a vibrant, thriving community.

At U.S. Bank, we believe that strong partnerships drive meaningful progress. Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center are at the heart of the region’s culture and economy, bringing people together for world-class entertainment, business conventions, and community events. By joining forces, we’re not only expanding our presence but also creating opportunities to engage with residents, businesses, and organizations in ways that make a lasting impact.

Through our sponsorship, we’ll support concerts, sporting events, and conventions that showcase the diversity and energy of the Inland Empire. But this is only the beginning. As our partnership evolves, we’ll work closely with Toyota Arena, Ontario Convention Center, and GOCAL to introduce community-focused programs, including financial literacy workshops and charitable giving initiatives.

This partnership is designed to bring added value to the people we serve. For our customers, we’re introducing the U.S. Bank Fast Pass Lanes, providing priority access at Toyota Arena events. Special offers, exclusive event experiences, and tailored financial solutions for businesses operating in the region are just a few of the many perks we’re excited to roll out.

Our employees are at the core of our success, and this partnership allows us to recognize their dedication. Through exclusive access to events, corporate hospitality opportunities, and community volunteer programs, our team will have new ways to engage with and celebrate the community they serve.

The Inland Empire is a dynamic, fast-growing region, and we’re committed to supporting its continued success. By investing in Toyota Arena and Ontario Convention Center, we’re helping to create and sustain jobs while driving local business growth. These venues bring in visitors, revenue, and visibility, strengthening the region’s economy.

This collaboration is about more than just sponsorship—it’s about making a difference. By working together, we can elevate not just these venues but the entire Inland Empire. At U.S. Bank, we’re committed to being a partner in progress, supporting our customers, businesses, and communities every step of the way.

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