Fresh&Easy Opens Up
Ξ November 8th, 2007 | → | ∇ 90065, Glassell Park, Shopping |
After sitting quietly for months, with black paper covering all windows, Fresh&Easy burst to life today with its Grand Opening. Mobs of people were flowing in and out of the doors while cars circled the parking lot, looking and waiting for a spot. Meanwhile, inside the aisles were clogged and check stands full. While trying to move to the frozen foods section, I overheard one father taking the opportunity to teach his young daughter a new vocabulary word: “Congested. These aisles are congested.” And so, amidst all the excitement, we jumped into the fray.
The first thing I couldn’t help but to notice is how much nicer the outside is than the inside. Despite being new and, well… “fresh,” the store didn’t feel much better than it did when it was a crappy, run-down Albertsons. Above you are high, warehouse style ceilings bursting with fluorescent lights. Below is a glossy, but still plain concrete floor. Most items on the shelves are stocked in their original bulk-packing boxes (which I can appreciate as a cost-saving measure, but still ugly nonetheless) or in generic “Fresh&Easy” packaging that looks like it came from a George Orwell book.
However, the selection of foods is pretty good, from fancy, to fresh, to packaged to ultra-packaged (Kraft Easy Mac, anyone?) and the prices seem fair. As one couple observed, “cheaper than normal prices but not quite sale prices” for most items. One definite score: Ben&Jerry’s for under three bucks. Sadly, the beer section was less than inspiring with only a couple of microbrews for more than you’d pay with your Von’s Club card. The cashiers and other employees were in fairly good spirits, hopefully meaning that Fresh&Easy is living up to it’s promises of paying living wages for all employees (nobody starts under $10/hour supposedly), either that or everybody was just hopped up on opening-night adrenaline.
(Gourmet Cheeses)
(Not so Gourmet Cheese)
It was a fun neighborhood scene, and many people were bumping into old friends here. My overall assessment is that is definitely a place I will frequent for groceries, but it certainly doesn’t live up to the planned business model. When designing Fresh&Easy, Tesco came to the U.S. and looked at how Americans shop. A few gourmet items from one store, basics from another and bulk items from another. The plan: to bring all those things into one place. Great idea. However, as pointed out earlier, a smart shopper will get many items cheaper on sale elsewhere, will probably still want the bulk selection of Costco and… well, sorry to say, probably still get the upper-end gourmet items at Whole Foods or the like. So while I will be shopping here, it will be just another stop on the weekend grocery run.
on November 9th, 2007 at 2:02 am
Looks like we were there around the same time. I felt the same about this grocery store.
I posted about it as well:
http://ablogawayfromhome.blogspot.com/2007/11/fresh-easy-opens-on-eagle-rock-blvd.html
-Rose
on November 9th, 2007 at 7:30 am
The impression that I have is that Tesco / Fresh & Easy will be the next Wal Mart in the US. Nothing good about that at all. And the report is not at all inspiring either. Would make more sense to me, it would seem, to get my fruits and vegetables at the local markets (Old LA Market comes to mind) or the local market (what’s the name of that produce place on Eagle Rock that has the awesome mural on the north-facing outside wall?). Anything else then becomes a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods run as needed. I wish I knew of more local butchers and the like in the area, too. Keep it local!
on November 9th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Fresh and Easy is going great guns with its PR, but they’re really undercutting community standards. Refusing to meet with community and religious leaders is shameful. The $10/hour figure for workers is sleight of hand, as they won’t guarantee a full time schedule or benefits. And while here in our neighborhood they put a store, they are not following through on their commitment to put stores where they’re really needed in LA– the so called “food deserts.” Until Tesco/F&E fixes these problems, I’ll keep shopping at Von’s, Ralph’s and Trader Joe’s.
on November 9th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I had similar thoughts, though my overall impression was favorable. I actually like the overly simplistic packaging–it makes me feel less like I’m being “marketted” to. I think the store is appealing because it’s a great one-stop grocery for people like me–single, not a ton of money, not a ton of time to go to one store for cheese and another for toilet paper–but who hate the super market and all of the processed food.
I am disappointed in the building and the parking lot; from an urban design standpoint they could have one much more!
on November 11th, 2007 at 10:08 am
I agree with semprini that I enjoyed the fact that Tesco went simple with their interior- why do they need to be overly wasteful in the interior. They cut open boxes and stuck it on the shelves- good for them. I think their concept is an interesting one in the fact that the person looking for creme fraiche and a good baguette can shop at the same place as the person looking for cheerios and McCormick gravy maker. Seems like it could grow into exactly what a lot of neighborhoods in LA need- a store that offers a mix of gourmet and regular grocery goods- Lets face it- the neighborhood is a mix of people of socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. As far as the labor issue, does Vons, ralphs or any others guarantee a full- time schedule? Wasn’t that one of the key issues of the strike? Tesco is using locally grown produce which is nice. Not sure about their canned goods, but last week I looked at my can of black beans from Trader Joes and it was from China. Bottom line is I would like to see them succeed in offering everyone in the neighborhood a place to shop.
on January 29th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I heard they only used part of the space occupied by the previous grocery store. What went into the remaining space? Could you email me and let me know?