According to a plugged-in reader and a construction worker on site, the first Fresh & Easy in San Francisco should open its doors in the Outer Richmond the second week in May at the corner of Clement and 32nd Avenue.
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According to a plugged-in reader and a construction worker on site, the first Fresh & Easy in San Francisco should open its doors in the Outer Richmond the second week in May at the corner of Clement and 32nd Avenue.
Formula retail! Where is Kathrin when we need her?
I still don’t understand why Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s didn’t take this location. There’s plenty of parking and they would have had a huge potential market on that side of the city. Very confused.
Or why Trader Joe’s did not go for the old Cala on South Van Ness? Very close to 24th Street.
Heh, a construction worker told me a couple of months ago that it would open in *March*.
I hope this CVS doesn’t get picketed like the one on Van Ness and Pacific.
Is it just me or does this look insufferably SoCal? Weird. But i hope it does whatever great things people are hoping it’ll do.
san francisco doesnt like chain stores and will fight to keep them out no matter how many jobs it will bring or its convience.- unless its a yuppie trader joes or whole foods and than they can get any place they want.
MH for Movoto –
It looked even more so before they removed the palm trees.
I’m sorry, Bill Henderson, but do you know anything about the recent history of Trader Joe’s in SF? The NIMBYs have fought to keep it out.
Sprawl is as sprawl does.
I recall one of the workers at the old Albertsons telling me that there was some sort of union attachment to the property that required only union-staffed stores to be allowed to take over the lease. Trader Joes is non-union.
Feel free to correct me if i’m wrong — just passing on what an employee told me.
yuppie trader joes
Between rip off Safeway’s, Gotta be joking Mollie’s and Whaadaheck Whole Food’s, affordable quality TJ’s seems refreshingly welcome.
Love TJ’s. Love WF.
Personally, I don’t like “Fresh & Easy”…it’s a European concept and I don’t think it’ll take hold here. It’s in So. Cal and it isn’t that popular. I’d rather see Trader Joe’s than Fresh & Easy.
“.it’s a European concept”
Trader Joe’s is owned by a German trust.
“Trader Joe’s is owned by a German trust.”
Indeed it is…but the store’s origins and concept are very much an American original.
“Indeed it is…but the store’s origins and concept are very much an American original. ”
But not its supply chain.
I’m slightly intrigued by rdl’s comment that Fresh & Easy is different than American grocery stores. Can someone explain the differences, or do I have to wait and see?
John – I don’t know about whether this makes it “European” but the main differences between F&E and typical USA grocery supermarkets are :
all self checkout
factory packed meats and veg
limited selection
higher than normal ratio of British imports
free coffee
Two of those items fit Trader Joe’s to some extent:
factory packed meats and veg
limited selection
A third that Milkshake didn’t mention is the focus on semi-prepared foods that are easier to cook, which also applies to Trader Joe’s.
Fresh & Easy feels like a Soviet version of Trader Joe’s. The shelves are less packed with items and the items, themselves are of a lower quality. If you think TJ’s has mostly packaged items, you haven’t been to a Fresh & Easy.
“. . . the items, themselves are of a lower quality.”
Quality is at least somewhat subjective. I’ve been very pleased with the quality of everything I’ve purchased at Fresh & Easy. Have shopped them for some time in Palm Springs and welcome them to the Bay Area. I’ll continue to shop Trader’s primarily but Fresh & Easy will cut into my spend at Whole Wallet. Competition is great for consumers!
Do you think this opening helps or hurts real estate values in nearby sea cliff, particularly those homes just north of california?
Have been to two F&E’s in the last few weeks (WC and Pacifica) and they have been really busy.
Extremely good value compared to TJ’s, more limited veg selection but good enough for all but the most ardent foodies.
Has anyone else heard that a Fresh & Easy may be coming to somewhere in District 5? I heard rumors of them trying to open in the Castro across from safeway.
FYI: The 32nd & Clement Fresh & Easy store isn’t going to open the second week in May.
The Fresh & Easy Buzz blog has a post that says the 32nd & Clement Fresh & Easy store will open on June 22 http://freshneasybuzz.blogspot.com/2011/05/fresh-easy-neighborhood-market-plans-to.html
I simply cannot wait for this store to open. I am obsessing over it. I moved back up here from So. Cal in January and miss the heck out of this place. Food is great, prices are awesome! And they are all squeaky clean with friendly staff. I know it’s so “unSanFrancisco”- I mean who wants to save money on good food and good service anyway???
And if you go to their website and sign up for emails you will receive a $10 of $50 coupon or often a $6 off $30 coupon. Can’t beat it.