By John Cox
Orginally published on Bakersfield.com, February 4, 2026
Don’t let the remaining locked doors fool you: Bolthouse Properties has succeeded in filling up southern Seven Oaks’ marquee shopping center.
The company said Wednesday its Belcourt Village retail development at the southwest corner of White Lane and Buena Vista Road is now 100% leased.
A tenant for the final, 2,900-square-foot space still unopened — Salon Centric, a beauty supply store — is scheduled to begin operation in late March.
Belcourt’s multi-phase rollout over the last five years reflects the continuing growth of the surrounding residential area. It also speaks to Bolthouse Properties’ insistence on attracting almost exclusively local tenants rather than relying more heavily on national retailers.
Large corporate chains Starbucks and Chipotle are exceptions, but otherwise, each of the spaces houses a tenant that is either locally based or a franchise that is locally owned.
Bolthouse Properties executives have said the distinction is an attempt to differentiate the center while also maximizing local pride.
Chief Operating Officer Bret Nielsen said Wednesday Belcourt’s restaurants, two of which have opened since Thanksgiving, have helped boost foot traffic to the benefit of all the center’s tenants.
“Drive traffic, you drive sales,” he said.
Vecchio’s Pizzeria and Gelateria, an artisan pizza restaurant that opened Nov. 29 in a 1,900 space with an outdoor patio, is “knocking it off the charts,” Nielsen said.
He added that fellow restaurant tenant Sonder, operating out of a 3,500-square-foot-space with an outdoor patio since Jan. 30, has enjoyed an “incredible” reception from the local community.
The other new tenant, since Nov. 17, is a 2,900-square-foot salon called Radiant Waxing. It’s a sister business to Drybar, which owner Mira Patel opened about two years ago in the same shopping center. While both are boutique franchises, Radiant focuses on soft waxing, eyebrow lamination, tinting and “lash lifts.”
Patel said business is going well.
“We love it here at Belcourt. The tenant support — our neighbors are amazing,” she said.
“We work together and collaborate on events and support each other, whether it’s through donation boxes for the community or each of us holding events at the shop or at the center area.”
Other tenants at the center are 19th Hole Bar & Grill, Apricot Lane, Electric Cycle Studio, Flower Bar, Gillson Jewelers, Pilates Barre, Toastique and Today Cleaners.
