Work begins on new grocery store
By Melissa Murphy
Posted: 03/26/2009
Crews from Capitol Removal gut the former 50,000-square-foot Ralph's grocery store Wednesday at the Regency Plaza. (Rick Roach / The Reporter)
Building is under way to make room for Fresh & Easy, a new grocery store coming to Vacaville.
Business owners in the shopping center at the corner of Nut Tree and Elmira roads were recently notified of the construction taking place at the former Ralph's building.
Lewis Operating Corp., the property managers that sent the notice, could not be reached at press time.
Construction crews with Reeve Knight Construction of Roseville confirmed that Fresh & Easy is moving in and that the 50,000 square-foot building will be divided into four new businesses, one of which is a 15,000-square-foot grocery store with an opening near Longs Drugs.
Last year, the British firm announced plans to build 18 stores in the Bay Area, including two in Vacaville, as well as stores in Fairfield and Vallejo and more than a dozen stores in the Sacramento region.
At that time, it was believed that Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market would begin opening stores across the region in 2009, pending final negotiations, according to company CEO Tim Mason.
Last month, Fresh & Easy representatives said that despite some rumors that the company was backing off because of the economy, plans for new stores were still moving forward.
An additional Fresh & Easy store will locate in Vacaville at the former SaveMax site at Alamo and Butcher roads, company officials have said.
Fresh & Easy has 55 markets open throughout Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. The company is a subsidiary of U.K.-based Tesco, one of the world's largest international retailers.
The stores are a new concept in grocery retailing. They are about one-fifth the size of a typical grocery store, but shoppers can buy all of their groceries there.
And the chain prides itself on carrying products that don't contain added transfats, artificial flavors and the least amount of preservatives possible. It also carries a variety of organic produce and natural foods, such as cage-free eggs and hormone-free meats.
Each store employs some 20 to 30 people. All Fresh & Easy employees work a minimum of 20 hours per week, which ensures everyone is eligible for health care. Entry-level positions pay well over the minimum wage, starting at $10 an hour in California, and offer a quarterly bonus of up to 10 percent.
