Central Marin’s solely Fortunate grocery market, a downtown Larkspur fixture, plans to shut after a long time on the web site.
Save Mart, the corporate that owns the chain, instructed metropolis officers that the shop at 570 Magnolia Ave. will shut April 14.
“The corporate frequently evaluates our enterprise mannequin and by closing this Fortunate retailer, we will reallocate assets and concentrate on different shops within the space,” the corporate stated in an electronic mail to the town on March 15. “We've got been serving Larkspur for many years and we stay dedicated to the North Bay group.”
The corporate instructed metropolis officers it's providing workers transfers to different supermarkets. The 2 nearest Fortunate shops are in Novato and Petaluma, with others across the Bay Space.
John Frahm, secretary-treasurer of United Meals and Industrial Staff Native 5, the labor union representing Fortunate employees, stated workers are upset.
“They’re disenchanted that the corporate selected to not put money into the shop to make enhancements,” he stated. “They’re disenchanted that a majority of them should switch outdoors of Marin in the event that they need to keep employed by Fortunate’s.”
Frahm stated the corporate has been closing shops all through the area for the previous a number of years. On the identical time, the corporate selected to rework its Mountain View retailer right into a tech-driven market designed to satisfy on-line orders and cater to third-party supply companies corresponding to DoorDash.
“That appears to be the sort of enterprise they need as a substitute of caring for prospects,” Frahm stated. “We're hopeful that spot will get stuffed by one other one among our certified union employers.”
In its electronic mail to the town, Save Mart didn't say why it's closing the Larkspur retailer. In response to requests for remark, the corporate reiterated its assertion made to the town and didn't reply direct questions. Workers of the shop stated the corporate’s lease is ending.
The property is owned by Vons Firms Inc., which is a part of the Safeway and Albertsons conglomerate. It has held the title since 2012, in line with the Marin County assessor’s workplace.
Wendy Gutshall, a Safeway spokesperson, offered little details about what the corporate plans.
“We proceed to guage our choices for sublease,” Gutshall stated. “It’s essential to us to search out the proper tenant to serve the Larkspur group. It’s too untimely to touch upon a possible timeline.”
The buying heart at Magnolia Avenue and Doherty Drive was inbuilt 1972, in line with Larkspur Previous and Current, a metropolis historical past e book. The location was a lumberyard between 1925 and 1970, and earlier than that, it was the town’s casual baseball discipline.
Resident James Holmes stated he remembers when the shop operated underneath the Alpha Beta grocery model.
“For over 50 years, it has been the go-to spot for native prospects searching for merchandise at an inexpensive value,” Holmes stated. “I actually don’t consider something within the space can substitute it. The closure will imply a major improve in grocery payments for residents on modest means.”
Resident Laura Effel lives close to the shop.
“I'll actually miss it when it goes,” Effel stated. “Not solely is it shut sufficient to stroll to, it additionally has a few of the lowest costs round and a range that I like. I don’t prefer to pay extra for ‘natural’ produce as a result of it gives no well being profit however prices extra. Fortunate has been one of many few grocery shops in southern Marin to provide consumers a selection.”
Locals have been speculating that a extra upscale grocery retailer would possibly fill the emptiness, whereas others surprise if the location might be redeveloped into housing.
Metropolis Supervisor Dan Schwarz stated officers reached out to Save Mart to hunt extra info, however obtained no reply.
“We obtained a name from a rep with Albertsons who confirmed that the corporate (by means of Vons) owns the property and that no particular plans have been made presently,” Schwarz stated in an electronic mail. “They anticipate partaking us after the closure of Fortunate.”
Schwarz stated the Central Larkspur Space Particular Plan, a metropolis planning doc, envisions that any redevelopment of the location could be mixed-use, which means it will embody industrial, retail and housing, with a desire for a grocery retailer.
The buying heart is split into three parcels, every owned by completely different entities. Along with the grocery retailer and adjoining pharmacy — which was closed final yr after Save Mart was acquired by an fairness agency — there's a strip mall and a gasoline station.
In accordance with the town’s draft housing aspect for 2023-2031, the grocery web site might accommodate as much as 86 residences, the strip mall might accommodate as much as 25 and the gasoline station web site might present one other 24.
Though the websites might be redeveloped independently, Schwarz stated, “full redevelopment of the buying heart would require participation of all of the properties.”
“I'm not a developer, however I've spoken with many builders through the years,” Schwarz stated. “I believe the way in which these parcels are aligned, it's way more enticing to a developer to mix the parcels and do one thing on a bigger scale.”