Deal keeps Moffett Field Commissary open at least two more years

A deal will keep the Moffett Field Commissary open for at least two more years, South Bay Democrat Rep. Sam Liccardo’s office said Wednesday, preserving a key source of low-cost groceries for veterans while a long-term solution is explored.

The agreement keeps the commissary operating through at least 2028, with an option to renew in 2029. Without a new lease, it had been slated to close this year —  a move that would have left thousands of South Bay and Peninsula veterans without nearby affordable groceries. The next closest commissaries are at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and in Monterey.

Liccardo said he met Feb. 2 with Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) Director John Hall to discuss extending the lease. On Feb. 13, DeCA and NASA, which manages the property, finalized the agreement, his office said. This news organization has reached out to DeCA for additional details and had not received a response as of press time.

The commissary operates out of Buildings 12 and 13 at Moffett Field, which has been managed by NASA since 1994.

Late last year, veterans’ families raised concerns about a potential closure and circulated a petition urging officials to keep the store open. A Change.org petition launched at the time had more than 2,000 signatures as of Wednesday.

Heather McClaughlin of Burlingame, whose husband is in the U.S. Army Reserve and started the petition, said she was relieved by the lease extension but hopes a long-term solution comes sooner rather than later.

“It is definitely a wonderful step forward for the Bay Area military community,” she said. “However, given the funding it will take and the years-long construction for a new building, the current commissary will likely have to stay open longer to cover the time it will take for stakeholders to figure out all the moving parts.”

On the petition, McClaughlin wrote that she relies on the commissary for weekly groceries “just like countless other soldiers, veterans, retirees and their families.”

“It is more than just losing a source of affordable groceries,” she wrote. “It would mean losing a crucial support system and a sense of camaraderie that comes with shopping alongside those who understand our unique lifestyle and needs.”

According to local veterans offices, about 45,000 veterans live in Santa Clara County, with more than 32,000 in neighboring San Mateo County. All are eligible to shop at the commissary, where groceries are typically about 25% cheaper than at traditional supermarkets. Purchases are exempt from local sales taxes and instead carry a 5% surcharge — Santa Clara County’s sales tax rate is about 9.25%.

Peninsula Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, told constituents last month in an open letter he had raised concerns with NASA about the potential closure. The agency said the aging buildings require significant structural repairs but lacks the resources to complete them. Last month, Mullin said NASA had sent a proposed lease extension, though DeCA had not yet signed it at the time.

While not directly linked to the Moffett lease renewal, the deal comes after a year of uncertainty for the federal commissary system.

In 2025, the Department of Defense explored privatizing commissaries, soliciting interest from commercial retailers and investment firms to explore taking over operations at 178 domestic locations. However, the annual defense policy bill passed by Congress in December 2025 explicitly blocked those efforts, legally preventing the Pentagon from handing off the management of military stores this year.

While the extension offers temporary relief, local officials emphasized the need for a permanent solution.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga, whose district includes Mountain View and Moffett Field, called the commissary “an important resource” for service members and veterans.

“This is a high cost-of-living area, and many people would feel its loss acutely,” Abe-Koga said.

Santa Clara County ranks among the highest cost of living areas in the country with an income of $111,700 considered low as of 2025.

In the long term, McClaughlin said she hopes federal and local agencies will work together to find a path to keep the commissary open permanently.

“A sensible solution exists, and it involves utilizing the nearby land owned by the Army to build a new commissary, ensuring continuity of service for this indispensable facility,” she said. “However, until funding for a new commissary is secured and construction is completed, it is imperative we keep the current commissary open.”

Liccardo said the new lease ensures uninterrupted operations through 2028 and promised that he will seek federal funding for a replacement facility in the upcoming appropriations cycle.