Filipino grocery chain draws crowds with late-night parties at Daly City location

By Sara Donchey

We are accustomed to expecting the mundane on our weekly grocery store trips. We mull around the aisles, checking things off our list and occasionally wandering our way into something new. But when Seafood City opened its newest location in Daly City, the company had something radical in mind.

They decided to transform their bakery section into the Bay Area’s hottest nightclub.

This club has everything: Filipino street food, a live DJ set, and a conga line.

“Filipinos, if you don’t know already, they love to sing, they love to dance, they make a good time anywhere they are,” said Patricia Francisco, who works as the company’s marketing director. “And to be able to have that in a grocery store-which is so not common-was, I think, something that people found they wanted to be a part of.”

After all, this was Francisco’s idea. She wanted to emulate a Filipino family gathering like one she would have back home. She also acknowledged that the parties served a dual purpose. They cater to a younger audience, in contrast with some of Seafood City’s older clientele. 

Seafood City is the largest Filipino supermarket chain in North America, with more than half a dozen locations in the Bay Area.

The events, branded as “Late Night Madness,” attracted hundreds of people. The company launched its first nighttime event to coincide with the opening of its newest Bay Area location in Daly City over the summer.  Lines formed outside the store. 

Francisco and her team decided to bring the party to some of their other locations, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle and several cities in Canada.

They tapped local DJs to play Filipino disco hits and to hype up the crowd as they lined up for hot food and treats.

JP Breganza, who was raised in Vallejo, jumped at the chance to DJ in a grocery store, even if it takes the crowds a bit of time to warm up throughout the evening.

“Everyone was so confused. I was getting a couple of dirty looks, like, ‘Oh, why is he taking up two cash registers? Or, why is the music so loud?’ “

Breganza explained that it was about more than having a good time. As many families have been priced out of the Bay Area and friends have moved away, Breganza said the events are a nod to family parties from his youth.

“Whether it was getting on the mic, or getting forced to dance by your aunties and uncles or just being able to play in the backyard for some basketball or whatnot, it was just all day play for me,” Breganza said.

Seafood City plans to continue to host these events across the country.

Their next event in Daly City is scheduled for Friday, November 14, and Saturday, November 15 from 8 p.m. until midnight.

The company encourages you to secure a spot online, though they accept walk-ins if space allows.