By Margie Palmer/Reportero SDUN

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has opened its doors to the public, bringing eco-friendly design and low-cost food options to local residents. Located at 32nd Street and University Avenue, the retailer has brought both jobs and healthy food options to the neighborhood.

“We are happy to see Fresh & Easy continue to expand and hire in San Diego, bringing more nutritious and affordable food options to our neighborhoods,” said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, who attended the grand opening.

The North Park store is one of eight the retailer has opened in the month of September. In total, the company created 180 jobs last month.

Owned by U.K.-based Tesco, Fresh & Easy has made a name for itself through marketing the green nature of its stores. According to company representatives, on average, Fresh & Easy stores use 30 percent less energy than a typical supermarket. They also use LED lighting in external signs and freezer cases, and advanced refrigeration and freezer units to cut back on energy usage. 

Because of this, the company is able to sell items at a lower cost to customers. 

“We fundamentally believe every family deserves access to fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices,” said Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason. “Everything we do derives from listening to our customers, and one thing we’ve heard consistently from parents is that they are looking for ways to feed their children high-quality, nutritious foods without stretching their budgets.”

In addition to saving residents money on their grocery bill, the store has also contributed to the revitalization of North Park, an initiative that was spearheaded by North Park Main Street business improvement district several years ago.

“Fresh & Easy is a strong anchor tenant,” said Elizabeth Studebaker, executive director of North Park Main Street. “It’s almost like a bookend on the east end of North Park’s commercial district. The space they occupy had previously been an empty lot and an auto-repair facility, but now there is a US Bank, a UPS store and an ATT wireless store. These are all places which will suit the needs of the surrounding residential area.”

San Diego District 3 City Councilman Todd Gloria agrees.

“It can only add to the location at 32^{Dakota del Norte} and University,” Gloria said. “It’s very valuable and I hope it will help us with revitalizing the area to the east of the [Interstate] 805 as well. Fresh & Easy not only provides more access to groceries, but it’s on a size and scale appropriate for the neighborhood because it’s not a big box retailer. It brings balance to North Park’s business district, which is important.” 

Fresh & Easy communications director Brendan Wonnacott feels one of the most important factors in the store’s opening is access, especially in an area of town where grocery stores are relatively scarce.

“North Park, in particular, is undergoing a resurgence,” Wonnacott said. “What we offer fits in well overall, and we’re different than the other grocery stores in the marketplace. The spot was pretty much ideal.”

Studebaker, though, largely credits property owner Mike Kalscheur for bringing Fresh & Easy to the neighborhood, pointing out that he had been working to recruit a grocery store for several years.

“The owner did a very thorough job of meeting with community organizations, the planning committee, the redevelopment committee, and he asked them what they wanted to see at that location,” she said. “He more than did his due diligence in saying that since they were the ones who lived here, that they were ultimately responsible for the decision and the future of North Park, and he was committed to being a good steward and helping them reach the goals they wanted to accomplish.”

Kalscheur just believes the grocer is a good fit for the community.

“Our decision to pursue Fresh & Easy as a tenant was a combination of having been asked by North Park Main Street to bring in a neighborhood grocer, our belief in [their] concept and our confidence that they would be tremendously successful,” Kalscheur said.  

Studebaker believes that what he has accomplished in attracting Fresh & Easy was a “minor miracle” considering the current state of the economy.

“He took a chance on them and now we have this completed project today,” she said. “It’s an absolute positive for North Park.”