Irvine Ranch Market expands into old Hershey’s space on Balboa Island

The corner store on Balboa Island long known as Hershey’s Market is getting a new tenant.

Irvine Ranch Market, which has a store with a popular deli and ready-made meal selection in Costa Mesa, is bringing its concept to the historic Newport Beach space, co-owner Robin Kramer said.

Although Hershey’s, 200 Marine Ave., hasn’t been owned by the Hershey family for some time, it retained the name and has peddled essentials at its original high-visibility site at Marine and Park avenues, the southern tip of Balboa Island’s quaint commercial village of mostly mom-and-pop boutiques and bistros, since 1929.

Hershey’s, an old-fashioned general store for visitors and residents alike, closed around the holidays, but will be back under the Irvine Ranch Market banner by August, Kramer said. She and co-owner David Wong signed a lease on Monday.

The 4,000-square-foot space has been gutted and will get a new interior and refreshed façade.

Irvine Ranch Market on Balboa Island will have more of what makes the locally owned flagship store, 2651 Irvine Ave., esteemed —wine, sushi, fresh-made salad and sandwiches — while keeping the essence of Hershey’s, which has been a Balboa Island presence about as long as the island has been populated.