Vallarta Supermarkets opens first non-California store in Glendale
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Hundreds of people came out Wednesday morning for the grand opening of Vallarta Supermarkets' first store outside California in Glendale. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
A beloved California chain of Latino supermarkets opened its first Arizona location Wednesday, and if the crowd that gathered for the grand opening is any indication, Vallarta Supermarkets is going to be popular.
State of play: At least a thousand people lined up to be among Vallarta's first customers as leaders from the family-owned chain and Glendale officials cut the ribbon on the new store at 59th Avenue and Camelback Road.
- Vallarta has 63 locations in California, per a spokesperson, and Glendale is the company's first out-of-state operation.
- "This is a milestone for the family," Vallarta COO Cesar Gonzalez told Axios.
Why it matters: There's a huge demand here, Gonzalez said — the company gets requests from former Californians across the country to open stores in their cities, but by far the largest number comes from fans in Phoenix.
"We felt like we offered something that a lot of the competitors didn't. And it just seemed like this community was in need of another first-rate grocery store," Gonzalez said.
- Glendale City Council member Lupe Conchas, whose district includes the area, told the crowd, "We're not just celebrating the arrival of a supermarket. We're celebrating a cultural space for the Latino community here in Glendale."
Zoom in: Vallarta prides itself on what Gonzales called a "first-class shopping experience" that emphasizes service, quality and cleanliness.
- The company also strives to be involved in the community.
- "You know our plan is not only to be your neighborhood grocery store. …We want to partner with the local schools, the local charities. We want to participate in the local festivals that help celebrate and uplift the community," Gonzalez told the grand opening crowd before giving $1,500 contributions to several local schools and nonprofits.
Flashback: Vallarta got its start in 1985 when Enrique Gonzalez Sr., Cesar Gonzalez's uncle, opened a small Mexican meat market in the Los Angeles area.
- Two brothers joined the enterprise, and it grew into a medium-size chain and eventually a California supermarket giant.
Between the lines: The 49,000-square-foot Glendale location offers a wide variety of meat, seafood, cheese and produce, store-made tortillas and salsas, a large selection of ceviches and more.
- They also offer fresh food and have a small dining area.
What they're saying: Glendale resident Elizabeth Palacios told Axios she arrived at 6am to wait in line because she'd heard so much about Vallarta from people she knows in California.
- "They told me how good it was, so I had to come see it for myself," Palacios said. "I love it."
- Another woman Axios spoke to said she arrived at 5:30am because the first 300 people received free groceries.
- Ivette Contreras of Phoenix told Axios she was "very impressed," saying, "To be honest, it's better than Ranch Market."
What's next: Vallarta is already planning for expansion in Arizona — Gonzalez said they'll open a second Valley supermarket at Central Avenue and Baseline Road later this year, and they've got their eyes on several sites here for their next location.
- The company plans to have 10-15 Arizona stores within the next decade.