Capital of the Operating Partnership	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Equity [Abstract]
Capital of the Operating Partnership	Capital of the Operating Partnership As of June 30, 2016, the Operating Partnership had 114,159,167 OP Units outstanding. ROIC owned an approximate 89.3% partnership interest in the Operating Partnership at June 30, 2016, or 101,979,470 OP Units. The remaining 12,179,697 OP Units are owned by other limited partners. A share of ROIC’s common stock and an OP unit have essentially the same economic characteristics as they share equally in the total net income or loss and distributions of the Operating Partnership. As of June 30, 2016, subject to certain exceptions, holders are able to redeem their OP Units, at the option of ROIC, for cash or for unregistered shares of ROIC common stock on a one-for-one basis. If cash is paid in the redemption, the redemption price is equal to the average closing price on the NASDAQ Stock Market for shares of ROIC’s common stock over the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date a redemption notice is received by ROIC. During the year ended December 31, 2015, in connection with the acquisition of Bellevue Marketplace, the property formerly known as Sternco Shopping Center, the Operating Partnership issued 1,946,483 OP Units whereby the Operating Partnership was required to deliver cash in exchange for the OP Units upon redemption if such OP Units were redeemed on or before January 31, 2016 (“Redeemable OP Units”). These Redeemable OP Units were previously classified as mezzanine equity as of December 31, 2015 because, as of such date, ROIC could be required to deliver cash upon the redemption of such OP Units. During the six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company received notices of redemption for 1,828,825 Redeemable OP Units. The Company redeemed the OP Units in cash at a price of $17.30, in accordance with the Third Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, as amended, of the Operating Partnership, and accordingly, a total of approximately $31.6 million was paid to the holders of the respective Redeemable OP Units. The remaining 117,658 Redeemable OP Units are treated as permanent equity as ROIC now has the option, in its sole discretion, to settle the redemption of the OP Units in cash or unregistered shares of ROIC common stock. During the six months ended June 30, 2016, ROIC received notices of redemption for a total of 621,914 OP Units (excluding Redeemable OP Units, described above). ROIC elected to redeem 244,126 OP Units for shares of ROIC common stock on a one-for-one basis, and accordingly, 244,126 shares of ROIC common stock were issued. ROIC elected to redeem the remaining 377,788 OP Units in cash. The redemption value of outstanding OP Units owned by the limited partners as of June 30, 2016, not including ROIC, had such units been redeemed at June 30, 2016, was approximately $253.6 million, calculated based on the average closing price on the NASDAQ Stock Market of ROIC common stock for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding June 30, 2016, which amounted to $20.82 per share. Retail Opportunity Investments GP, LLC, ROIC’s wholly-owned subsidiary, is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, and as the parent company, ROIC has the full and complete authority over the Operating Partnership’s day-to-day management and control. As the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, ROIC effectively controls the ability to issue common stock of ROIC upon redemption of any OP Units. The redemption provisions that permit ROIC to settle the redemption of OP Units in either cash or common stock, in the sole discretion of ROIC, are further evaluated in accordance with applicable accounting guidance to determine whether temporary or permanent equity classification on the balance sheet is appropriate. The Company evaluated this guidance, including the ability, in its sole discretion, to settle in unregistered shares of common stock, and determined that the OP Units meet the requirements to qualify for presentation as permanent equity.

Capital of the Operating Partnership

As of June 30, 2016, the Operating Partnership had 114,159,167 OP Units outstanding. ROIC owned an approximate 89.3% partnership interest in the Operating Partnership at June 30, 2016, or 101,979,470 OP Units. The remaining 12,179,697 OP Units are owned by other limited partners. A share of ROIC’s common stock and an OP unit have essentially the same economic characteristics as they share equally in the total net income or loss and distributions of the Operating Partnership.

As of June 30, 2016, subject to certain exceptions, holders are able to redeem their OP Units, at the option of ROIC, for cash or for unregistered shares of ROIC common stock on a one-for-one basis. If cash is paid in the redemption, the redemption price is equal to the average closing price on the NASDAQ Stock Market for shares of ROIC’s common stock over the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date a redemption notice is received by ROIC.

During the year ended December 31, 2015, in connection with the acquisition of Bellevue Marketplace, the property formerly known as Sternco Shopping Center, the Operating Partnership issued 1,946,483 OP Units whereby the Operating Partnership was required to deliver cash in exchange for the OP Units upon redemption if such OP Units were redeemed on or before January 31, 2016 (“Redeemable OP Units”). These Redeemable OP Units were previously classified as mezzanine equity as of December 31, 2015 because, as of such date, ROIC could be required to deliver cash upon the redemption of such OP Units. During the six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company received notices of redemption for 1,828,825 Redeemable OP Units. The Company redeemed the OP Units in cash at a price of $17.30, in accordance with the Third Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, as amended, of the Operating Partnership, and accordingly, a total of approximately $31.6 million was paid to the holders of the respective Redeemable OP Units. The remaining 117,658 Redeemable OP Units are treated as permanent equity as ROIC now has the option, in its sole discretion, to settle the redemption of the OP Units in cash or unregistered shares of ROIC common stock.

During the six months ended June 30, 2016, ROIC received notices of redemption for a total of 621,914 OP Units (excluding Redeemable OP Units, described above). ROIC elected to redeem 244,126 OP Units for shares of ROIC common stock on a one-for-one basis, and accordingly, 244,126 shares of ROIC common stock were issued. ROIC elected to redeem the remaining 377,788 OP Units in cash.

The redemption value of outstanding OP Units owned by the limited partners as of June 30, 2016, not including ROIC, had such units been redeemed at June 30, 2016, was approximately $253.6 million, calculated based on the average closing price on the NASDAQ Stock Market of ROIC common stock for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding June 30, 2016, which amounted to $20.82 per share.

Retail Opportunity Investments GP, LLC, ROIC’s wholly-owned subsidiary, is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, and as the parent company, ROIC has the full and complete authority over the Operating Partnership’s day-to-day management and control. As the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, ROIC effectively controls the ability to issue common stock of ROIC upon redemption of any OP Units. The redemption provisions that permit ROIC to settle the redemption of OP Units in either cash or common stock, in the sole discretion of ROIC, are further evaluated in accordance with applicable accounting guidance to determine whether temporary or permanent equity classification on the balance sheet is appropriate. The Company evaluated this guidance, including the ability, in its sole discretion, to settle in unregistered shares of common stock, and determined that the OP Units meet the requirements to qualify for presentation as permanent equity.