New Build Pavilions La Quinta Coming in 2021

[CalItalian]

Albertsons has pre-leased a 63,000 sq. ft. new build supermarket plus a Pavilions fuel center (I am not aware of any other Pavilions fuel centers) in the new build 119,000 sq. ft. Pavilion Palm shopping center in La Quinta. Some fine tuning is still being requested by the La Quinta City Council but otherwise it appears to be a go and should be approved within the next month (vote was delayed last night for the fine tuning).
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/lo ... 634517001/

Latest story from last night. Sorry but I can't unrestrict the link posting here. https://www.desertsun.com/restricted/?r ... 7152002%2F

[rwsandiego]

I can see why the residents are so opposed to the development. That empty lot is much more attractive than an upscale grocery store.

[storewanderer]

Didn't Ralphs close in La Quinta?

[klkla]

Didn't Ralphs close in La Quinta?

There's a Ralphs Fresh Fare across the street from this development that is still open, which might explain why residents aren't that excited about another grocery store.

The store that closed was at Washington & Calle Tampico which is in a slightly less desirable location 2.1 miles away.

[steps]

I'm glad Albertson's is doing something with the Pavilions format that Safeway ignored. It's interesting they are putting a fuel center though...that seems a little "low budget" for the Pavilions brand.

I'm not familiar with this area but having a Fresh Fare, I'm assuming it's well off.

[pseudo3d]

I'm glad Albertson's is doing something with the Pavilions format that Safeway ignored. It's interesting they are putting a fuel center though...that seems a little "low budget" for the Pavilions brand.

It depends if the fuel center is a full "Express" store or not. The modern Express stores (Tom Thumb Express and a new Albertsons Express) seem to be a hybrid of traditional convenience store items and deli items from the real stores.

[Bagels]

I'm glad Albertson's is doing something with the Pavilions format that Safeway ignored. It's interesting they are putting a fuel center though...that seems a little "low budget" for the Pavilions brand.

I'm not familiar with this area but having a Fresh Fare, I'm assuming it's well off.

It wasn't necessarily Safeway that ignored the Pavilions format. Remember, the original 'Vons Pavilions' concept was intended to differentiate legacy stores from the then-new, large-format grocery stores with increased departments; such stores had become common in the eastern USA but were still a rarity in Southern California (a 1985 LA Times article notes that the average Vons was just over 18K SF). A 1986 LA Times article details how the format was altered in the final planning stages to compete in the same segment as Gelson's and Irvine Ranch Market. It quickly flopped and the format was heavily watered down.

Albertsons, which (under prior ownership) previously owned Bristol Farms, has taken it to another level. I've noticed they've doubled-downed on the format, adding back services (like hot bars and prepared meals in some locations) that they had removed in recent months. They've also added more gourmet foods and exotic produce. Unfortunately, they've raised prices - which previously matched Vons and Albertsons - on most products. I stopped by the RSM location over the weekend; my small shopping basket ended up being around $5 higher than it would've at Albertsons or Vons.

Still, it's good to see Albertsons continuing to build new stores within the region.

[Bluelightspecial]

It makes sense to put a Pavilions there since there hasn't been one in the area since they had to sell off the Rancho Mirage Pavilions. I'm surprised Albertsons hasn't converted one of their other stores to a Pavilions in the area. As for a fuel station....I've seen a couple Ralph's fuel stations next to Food 4 Less stores, I don't think it makes a difference from a marketing perspective.

[storewanderer]

I'm glad Albertson's is doing something with the Pavilions format that Safeway ignored. It's interesting they are putting a fuel center though...that seems a little "low budget" for the Pavilions brand.

It depends if the fuel center is a full "Express" store or not. The modern Express stores (Tom Thumb Express and a new Albertsons Express) seem to be a hybrid of traditional convenience store items and deli items from the real stores.

It is just an 800 square foot kiosk according to what I read being proposed here.

63,000 square feet seems to be their new store prototype size.

Not surprising they are going up against Ralphs. Kroger is easy pickings since they don't seem to build any new stores in CA (or OR or WA and barely in NV too)... Kroger needs to build more new stores to go up against Albertsons existing stores.

[veteran+]

I'm glad Albertson's is doing something with the Pavilions format that Safeway ignored. It's interesting they are putting a fuel center though...that seems a little "low budget" for the Pavilions brand.

I'm not familiar with this area but having a Fresh Fare, I'm assuming it's well off.

I would say that it is mostly upper middle class. It is bordered by wealthier neighborhoods and lower income (mostly ethnic) neighborhoods (Indio, Coachella, Thermal).