It was a store opening that shoppers in La Mesa thought would never happen.
"It was frustrating," said Laurie Stroberg. "Nobody could do anything to keep it here."
Stroberg is talking about the Vons that opened on Lake Murray Boulevard in La Mesa. The store was one of more than 150 that were sold after Albertsons and Safeway (which owns Vons) merged. Those stores were purchased by Haggen.
But within a year of opening up markets throughout Southern California they closed down and declared bankruptcy.
The stores were purchased by a variety of grocery chains including Smart & Final, Gelson's, Bristol Farms and various ethnic markets. But few thought Vons and Albertsons would ever be able to return to the stores they had to sell.
"I never thought I would see this store as a Vons again," said Lori Raya, the Southern California Division President of Vons/Albertsons.
Shoppers were pleasantly surprised.
"I was ready to come back to get my basics," said Martha McPhail.
"I thought it was just going to be an empty building," said Carlos Aguayo.
Albertsons is returning to its old store in El Cajon.
Not only will Vons and Albertsons get to return to five of its stores in San Diego, but 40 percent of the store employees are former workers.
On the same day that Albertsons and Vons held grand openings, Smart & Final opened two of its "Extra" markets in Tierrasanta (10633 Tierrasanta Blvd.) and North Park (2235 University Ave.) Smart & Final bought 13 stores in San Diego. The addition of these stores is quickly changing the grocery landscape in San Diego.
"There's no better time for the San Diego consumer to shop around," said San Diego State marketing professor Miro Copic. He also points out that new low price stores like WinCo and Aldi are also coming into the county.
"It gives consumers an incentive to leave their little area of their neighborhood supermarket," said Copic.
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