Located in the former Fresh & Easy space at 955 Catalina Blvd., Jensen’s is a full-service market specializing in fresh meat and fish, deli, produce, and gourmet foods, as well as everyday groceries.

It is the boutique grocer that almost wasn’t. When it was learned CVS pharmacy might acquire the site, outraged neighbors wanting a grocery store there instead immediately started an online petition drive on change.org.

Adam Zack, Jensen’s owner, spoke of how their company came to be in the Peninsula. “A customer in our Palm Springs store, who lived in Point Loma, emailed us and said this would make a great Jensen’s,” noted Zack. “So we checked it out.”

But at the time, Fresh & Easy was in bankruptcy. “They (previous owners) wanted someone to buy a big chunk (of Fresh & Easy’s five locations), and we were only interested in one store,” said Zack. “Then the community started a big petition drive and the Realtor called me again and asked, ‘Are you still interested?’ We were.”

The Point Loma Jensen’s, an independent grocer, opened on Dec. 9, 2016. What’s made it successful?

“We have high standards and a family atmosphere where employees are happy,” replied Zack adding, “We try to differentiate ourselves. Customers come to us because of the service that we give them.”

Added Zack: “Our goal from the start is that we want to be an indispensable part of the Point Loma community. We embrace everybody, from the people who come in and say, ‘I just want to get one thing,’ to the people who come in with their whole family and do all their shopping.”

Jensen’s Point Loma has a full delicatessen and a hot food bar that changes daily. “The chefs here make everything,” noted Zack. “When you see our kitchen – that’s where everything’s made.”

Zack said Jensen’s has made an ongoing commitment to “invest back into the store,” having put in new produce and meat cases with new freezer and dairy cases coming in April, as well as plans to redo the deli and bakery.

What else is unique about Jensen’s Point Loma? Answered Zack: “There are things that we do ourselves like making mozzarella, pizza dough, and bakery products. All our salads and stuff from the deli our chef makes. We don’t skip on stuff. And then we look for interesting foods you won’t find in other places.”

Jensen’s is also very community-oriented, as evidenced by a huge community collage at the front with photos of residents who’ve bonded with the store in its continuing mission to “work together to nourish our community, our families, and each other.”

JENSEN’S FOODS

Where: 955 Catalina Blvd.

Contact: jensensfoods.com, 619-550-2097.

Jensen’s Foods Story – Jensen’s Foods original market was opened in Blue Jay, near unincorporated Lake Arrowhead, Calif., in 1940 by Einer and Marie Jensen. While Einer served in World War II, Marie ran the market. In 1964, the store moved into a new, 25,000-square-foot building.

Gene Fulton began his career at Jensen’s in 1957 as a clean-up boy at age 17. He worked his way up to general manager and made arrangements to purchase Jensen’s in 1981. Fulton then began expanding adding Jensen’s Minute Shoppe, an upscale convenience store. In 1983, Jensen’s focused more on upscale clientele with the opening of Jensen’s in Palm Desert. The success of that location prompted the addition of a Palm Springs location in 1985.

In 2016, Jensen’s expanded again opening its ninth Point Loma location. Still family-owned and operated, Jensen’s continues to provide exceptional customer service and the finest selection and quality of foods and beverages. The company considers its employees its greatest asset, treating them like family. That’s why a large number of them have been a part of Jensen’s team for at least 10 years, with some having worked there for nearly 40 years.