Andronico’s sets 2nd S.F. site
Andronico’s is coming to the Richmond District.
After months of review by the San Franciso City Planning Commission, parent company Safeway won approval Thursday in a 60 vote to open the specialty grocery store in a former Fresh & Easy location.
“We’re excited to open this new store and provide the local residents with a great customer experience while creating an eclectic, upbeat neighborhood hub for feeding a healthy lifestyle,” said Teena Massingill, a spokeswoman for Albertsons, Safeway’s parent company.
The space at Clement and 32nd streets has been empty since Fresh & Easy filed for bankruptcy and closed all of its locations in 2015. The grocer’s name still hangs on the building, which is painted in the company’s pale yellow and green colors. The site includes a CVS Pharmacy and rooftop parking.
Safeway plans to spend $2.7 million to renovate the 16,664squarefoot store. Andronico’s said it will carry a selection of local foods, organic groceries and specialty items. It is unclear when the store will open.
Safeway signed a lease for the site in fall of 2017. Part of the delay in opening a grocery store is the stringent permit process that chain stores need to go through in San Francisco.
In San Francisco, a retailer with more than 11 locations globally, like Safeway, is considered a chain store and must apply for conditional use permit, even for a place that housed a similar business before, like a grocery store going into a grocery store. The conditional use permits are valid for three years for businesses to move into the space. Once permits are granted and businesses are open, they need not apply for renewals during their lease.
Three neighborhoods in San Francisco — Hayes Valley, North Beach and Chinatown — ban chain stores.
Some residents and workers in the Outer Richmond said they would welcome a grocery store.
Angel Sul, who said he’s lived in the area for about a year, shops at Safeway stores near Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park, or the Grocery Outlet on Geary Street for fresh produce.
“There aren’t a lot of options for fresh food around here,” he said. “I’m glad we’re getting Andronicos. It’s better than the place sitting empty.”
Nancy Ritter, who said she’s lived in the neighborhood for 20 years, was happy about the news.
“It’s been inconvenient for so long. Many of us came here to pick up our prescriptions at CVS and shop for food at Fresh & Easy,” she said. “Now we can finally do that again.”
Safeway acquired Andronico’s Community Markets in 2016 and renamed four of five stores as Safeway Community Markets. The flagship store in San Francisco’s Sunset District kept the Andronico’s name. Another store in Monterey opened in January. The Richmond store will be the third location with the Andronico’s name, according to Safeway. It plans to open Andronico’s stores in Berkeley, San Anselmo and Los Altos.
Andronico’s was founded in 1929 by a Greek immigrant, Frank Andronico. The first store was in Berkeley and was initially known as Park and Shop.