January 13,2015
Camarillo-based Lassen’s Natural Foods will open a store in San Luis Obispo late this year at University Square on Foothill and Santa Rosa, where New Frontiers used to be located. The long vacant shopping center being renovated now will also feature a new Rite Aid store says broker Stephen Leider of Lee & Associates.
The new stores that will anchor the reborn shopping center includes a 15,000sf Lassen’s grocery store and a 16,000sf Rite Aid drug outlet.The center is being developed by Nick Tompkins
Flower Children Still
Founded by Hilmar and Oda Lassen in 1971 the store came along when health food was the first big trend.
“Wheat germ, peace, love and tofu were making their way into the lives of many flower children” says the store’s website.
Now the another generation will get a taste of the apple as the city will sport a growing mix of health conscious outlets from Whole Foods who bought out New Frontiers, as well as Yuppy trend setter Trader Joe’s and Something Fresh.
None can be called locally-owned although at least Lassen’s has a nearby address and should help stimulate competition for consumers. Locally-owned Spencer’s closed in SLO city last year.
Lassen’s will now have 10 stores in California from Bakersfield to Santa Maria as well as a few other locations under different ownership.
The stores features a deli section, fresh and organic foods as well as the highest quality vitamins and supplements.
A store employee says prices are competitive with Whole Foods but not always cheaper. “Depends on the item” he adds.
The SLO grocery marketplace was shocked in recent weeks with news that Washington-based grocer Haggen stores plans to buy 146 stores as a result of the planned merger of Alberstons and Safeway. inclding the acquisition of 6 Vons and Albertsons stores in San Luis Obispo County as part of a deal to be approved by the Federal Trade Commission.
That deal set close in January 2015 will mean Vons in Los Osos and Paso Robles well as the two Albertsons in San Luis Obispo,on Johnson and on Foothill and the Albertsons in Arroyo Grande and Atascadero will all be rebranded to include the Haggen’s name. The stores will be be converted in phases.
As for the present deal, Rite Aid – with two stores already in town has one just a few blocks away, also on Foothill. The store manager says she is “unaware of any moving plans.”
Eyesore No More
Realtors on the University Square project had been working with Sprout’s Farmers Market to take the grocery space but the fast growing company,who recently went public – passed on coming to SLO.
These deals take a tremendous amount of time” says broker Leider. He says “the city completely cooperated with what we were trying to do.” As for the future Leider says the economy has made developers “ cautiously optimistic” about 2015.
The property called an”eyesore” in the Tribune a year ago can now have the last laugh.