City’s grocery stores grow increasingly rare
From the Examiner today (their redesigned online version, for the record, now SUCKS, and they have not responded to requests for explanation about why they turned into a tabloid with very little local news)…
Imagine having to walk a mile just to get bread, meat and vegetables under the same roof.In a city like San Francisco, it may seem unlikely, but neighbors in areas as diverse as the Excelsior, Noe Valley and Haight-Ashbury are worried that the possible exit of Cala Foods and Bell Markets from The City may mean just that.
Two of the 10 Cala and Bell stores in San Francisco — which are owned by Ralphs Grocery Co. — have already shuttered their doors. The property owners of the lot that houses the Haight Cala recently applied for a demolition permit, and city officials say the remaining seven stores are also poised to close.
Representatives at Kroger Co. and its subsidiary, Ralphs, did not return calls seeking comment, but several city officials confirmed that the multibillion-dollar retailer has been considering closing its San Francisco stores for some time.
But city officials hope that Ralphs’ departure does not mean the end of neighborhood supermarkets. Ralphs does not own any of the properties Cala and Bell stores sit on, and most owners seem open to leasing the space to another grocery store.
Nobody in the Haight or Cole Valley will be sad to see the poorly-managed Cala go away, but if it is not replaced (as has been rumored for quite some time) by a Mollie Stone’s or other small, local grocer, those nearby residents will need to head out to 12th/Lincoln to Andronico’s, to Fulton/Masonic to Albertson’s (which is not doing well, either), or to the Safeway on Church/Market.
agreed, the new online examiner does suck! I prefer the pdf version, which hasn’t changed as drastically (yet?)
Anonymous at March 9th, 2006 at 1:58 am ( )http://sfpaper.examiner.com/
Isn’t Falletti’s (Formerly of Fulton Plaza) going to reopen on Broderick and Oak? That should be a nice addition to the community. It was always my favorite store before it closed . . .
BTW, your blog is great! Watch out, I’ll be quoting it in the sales meetings . . .
Ilse Cordoni at March 9th, 2006 at 6:36 pm ( )Yes. And I’m looking forward to walking right past Albertson’s and down to Falletti’s (which used to be in the Albertson’s space before Petrini Place was built)… See the Broderick Place web site for details on the housing that is for sale. No specific word on when the units will be occupied or when the grocery store will be open…
Matt Lanning at March 9th, 2006 at 6:40 pm ( )This is a stupid concern. Haight Street Natural Foods is only four blocks down Haight, and has a rediculous amount of produce and foods available. Rainbow Grocery is just four blocks up Stanyan. Cala is/was an absolute blight. Anything to get rid of that eyesore of a parking lot (and hopefully, someday, the equally brutal McDonalds trash-generating station) the better. Supermarkets are a suburban curse, the quicker they are gone, the better.
Anonymous at March 12th, 2006 at 9:39 pm ( )As far as grocery stores in the Haight go–how about that wonderful natural foods store on Stanyan and Parnassus, Real Foods–they do an excellent job of serving the community!
Sara at April 26th, 2006 at 4:50 pm ( )Real Foods is a great store, but it is not big enough to serve a community the size of the Haight/Cole Valley. They also don’t have enough of everything that the average shopper needs. It is enough for day-to-day shopping, but it will not replace (in most people’s minds) a store the size of Cala or Andronico’s.
Matt Lanning at April 26th, 2006 at 7:06 pm ( )Cala’s produce is sub par to say the least but having to buy all my home products at a place like Whole Foods would put me in the poor house…making special trips to whole foods for or a farmers market for fresh veggies is fine and i don’t mind paying extra for the quality but for day to day things Cala had good enough prices that wouldn’t burn wholes in pockets!
Anonymous at May 28th, 2006 at 8:57 pm ( )The Bell Market on Post Street is closing too! Thank god, the prices were too expensive anyway. Now I don’t have an excuse to shop somewhere cheaper…but on the downside, that place might not be too close to home.
F.P. at July 11th, 2006 at 5:41 am ( )