cookiesinheaven

Say it ain't SOOOOOO!!!!
Looks like they already closed the Gelson's I used to shop at when I lived in the LaLa area...the one that Chef Curtis Stone loved to corner shoppers at.

Compton-based Arden Group operates 16 Gelson’s Markets in Southern California, in upscale areas like Marina Del Rey and Pacific Palisades. In a statement, Arden Group said it’s exploring “strategic alternatives, which may include a possible sale of the Company.” - KPCC

The 16-unit chain, headquartered in Encino, has developed a reputation for celebrity clientele and locates its stores in well-to-do areas such as Santa Barbara, Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach; certain ones feature red-carpet-quality service such as valet stands. The company is known for its pricey imported foods, specialty brands and sushi. Some stores host gelato bars and meat carving carts. While less upscale grocery chains such as Vons offer prepared-food counters licensed by Panda Express, Gelson's customers get celebrity chef-inspired meals from Wolfgang Puck Express. - Latte Times

Labels: Gelson's, grocery stores, Pasadena, Santa Barbara

Whole Foods Markets Inc. is opening a two-story emporium on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena on Wednesday that will be its largest store west of the Rockies. More than 50% larger than a typical Ralphs or Vons grocery, it will include a wine and tapas lounge, a massage room, an in-house fresh jam and jelly center, a sandwich bar and a seafood counter serving ceviche and shrimp cocktails.

...A key component of an aggressive Southern California expansion plan by the Austin, Texas-based company, the two-story building fills an entire block and has a quasi-industrial look of red brick, corrugated steel and glass panels. Its 300-space parking lot is below the store.

... Shoppers will enter through a 6,000-square-foot produce department stocked with 500 items and a juice bar.

...Health products, the massage room and 18 check stands fill up the remaining first-floor space.

A "carveyor" moves shopping carts between the first and second floors and runs parallel to the escalator.

The second level is essentially an upscale food court with Korean barbecue, vegetarian foods cooked to order, a meat carving station, sushi, organic sake and beer. Shoppers can eat in a sit-down area or proceed to browse the large wine department, butcher shop and the packaged goods aisles. - Latte Times
Get a load of some of their "offerings"

• Wine and Tapas Lounge
  
• Sandwich Bar
  
• Seafood Bar
• Freshly roasted nuts.
• Italian Trattoria
  
• Extensive wine department with more than 1,200 selections
• Fresh donuts made by the hour
• Tortilla machine making fresh corn and flour tortillas.
• Eco-chic apparel, accessories and home goods.
• Chocolate island with more than 50 chocolate choices and white and dark chocolate fountains.
• Free wireless internet access.
• Massage room, staffed with massage therapists.
• "Veggie Grill" program with a daily rotation of fresh picked items, ready to be grilled to order by in-house chef.
• A "Custom Catch" program where shoppers select any available seafood and customize with marinades or seasonings. Team members will cook to order: charbroil, bake, steam, deep fry, sauté, or smoked with an in-store seafood smoker.

Labels: Development Gone Wild, Pasadena, Whole Foods