Tag Archive for: save-a-lot

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Rumor mill: More talk of Fresh & Easy in Echo Park

Yelp photo by Ed A.

The sudden closure of the Save-A-Lot store at the end of last March has prompted a ton of speculation of what should replace the grocery store. Trader Joe’s vs. Fresh & Easy vs. Petco vs. my favorite, a locally-owned farm-to-table type of place.The debate has even given birth to a Facebook page called “Bring Trader Joe’s to Echo Park.”

While we haven’t had any official confirmation of what store is going into the space, located next to the Walgreens at Sunset Blvd. and Logan, the pro-Trader Joe’s Facebook page admin was told by a Walgreens employee that Fresh & Easy is, in fact moving in:

I have gone in and spoken to different employees there [Walgreens] for several months and gotten updates. I just called and they said that Fresh and Easy did in fact get the space and they are going to try to open sometime in December. So it’s cool that there is going to be a market we can all shop at in Echo Park but it would be a little sweeter if there wasn’t some controversy around how they treat their employees.

We’ve contacted Fresh & Easy to confirm this possibility, for now we’re filing this as rumor until we know for sure!

UPDATE:

We asked the Fresh & Easy Facebook page about coming to Echo Park, and here’s what hey had to say: “We add ‘coming soon’ Clapples on our “where we are” map on our website when locations are officially planned and announced. We then announce grand opening dates a few weeks before that event when we’re finally ready to open the doors on a location. As for a location in Echo Park, I don’t show anything on any official lists of ‘coming soon’ locations. But we do love the area and, as with lots of locations, hope to be there someday!”

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The demise of Save-A-Lot stirs up speculation

The closure of the Save-A-Lot at the end of March prompted a decent-sized online debate about what entity should take over the former historic Pioneer Market location. It’s not clear whether or not the Save-A-Lot will actually return, but a letter posted on the front door doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the chain:

“It has come to the Landlord’s attention that Subtenant has ceased operating from the Premises. In order to protect the integrity of the Premisess and Landlord’s interest therein, Landlord has changed the locks and entered the Premises to inspect name.”

So what’s next?

Well, pretty much every time this location is open for a new tenant, someone mentions wanting a Trader Joe’s. Or perhaps a Fresh and Easy? The Sunset Blvd. storefront is a great location for any retailer or grocer, but so far no announcements have been made.

There’s even a Facebook page called “Bring Trader Joe’s to Echo Park” (with 200+ fans) for neighbors pushing for a Trader Joe’s to take over the location, even amongst speculation that the chain would never open in such a “low income” neighborhood.

It’s a nice thought – the nearest locations are Eagle Rock and Silver Lake, and it would be great to avoid the drive (ever try to park in the Silver Lake one at 5:00 on a Friday? Or any day of the week for that matter). But the downside to bringing a Trader Joe’s to Echo Park in that location is exactly the same issue – parking, traffic due to backed up parking, lack of employee parking, and all-around traffic/parking problems. Frankly, it would be a kind of a nightmare. But would you give up parking convenience that for Trader Joe’s convenience?

A comment on an Eastsider LA article (which, by the way, has nearly 60 comments!) mentioned they’d like to see a second Figueroa Produce location – truly my number one choice and probably a better fit for this neighborhood than another grocery chain. I mean, the fresh salsa and guacamole are really the best!

No offense to the Trader Joe’s fans, but here’s my official call to action: Bring on Figueroa Produce!

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What’s the dramz at the Echo Park Save-a-Lot?

A couple of weeks ago, we got an email from an Echo Park resident who noticed something funny at the Echo Park Save-A-Lot located on Sunset Boulevard next to Walgreens: “I went into the save-a-lot today and the shelves and freezers are quite bare. the checker said that owners are denying that it is going to close, but the lack of merchandise says otherwise. do you know if it is leaving echo park?”

We couldn’t find out for sure what was going on until today, when reader Sven wrote us (and sent the following photo) about the store’s definite closure:

“What happened to the Save-A-Lot on Sunset in Echo Park? I found the place closed, the windows covered with paper and this odd note from the landlord on the door, in which he explained having changed the locks on them?”

The letter reads:

“It has come to the Landlord’s attention that Subtenant has ceased operating from the Premises. In order to protect the integrity of the Premisess and Landlord’s interest therein, Landlord has changed the locks and entered the Premises to inspect name.”

We’ll try and find out what’s going on, stay tuned!

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