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Aug 09, 2023

Vons on Broadway closing in anticipation of new development

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The first signs of the forthcoming massive redevelopment of the 710 Broadway site were finally visible on Thursday evening as the Vons superstore, that will soon be demolished, began its closing down stock clearance sale. Many of the shelves were already empty and the florist counter was utterly deserted.

Massive banners adorned every aisle declaring "25% off" and customers were excited by the prospect of up to 90 percent off selected items, creating more of a Supermarket Sweep vibe to the otherwise mostly tranquil retail outlet.

In a statement made by Albertsons Companies, that owns the Vons brand, the store will close on Sunday, February 5, giving the public just three weeks to take advantage of this seemingly generous offer, especially when you realize that the 25 percent discount is also being applied to the alcohol section.

However, not everything is quite as generous as it first appears. Vons membership discount no longer applies at this store, a small but significant detail that's only made apparent in a notice located at the checkout counters. Consequently, despite the seemingly breathtaking bargains, any savings made will only approximately equate to those made with a Vons membership discount. Moreover, a strict no returns policy is now in place for any and all items sold.

The notice reads, "Store closure. Due to liquidation, the current Ad, j4U and gas/grocery rewards cannot be applied/honored. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Another notice, also only found at the checkout counter, reads," Due to liquidation, we will not be accepting MFG coupons. Orders will not accrue points towards rewards. No cash back." This contained no offer of atonement.

According to the Albertsons statement, a larger, brand-new, state-of-the-art store at the same location, is slated to open in 2025.

Many staff said they still weren't sure where they would be posted, adding they very much hoped it would be somewhere local and not too far away.

The new 280-unit development includes space for a new 53,500 square feet grocery store on the ground floor with 1,500 square feet of outdoor dining space and additional below-grade storage. An additional 34,000 square feet of retail/restaurant/fitness uses is also part of the plan with approximately 523 bicycle spaces and 354 vehicle parking spaces.

The current site is home to over 20 California fan palm trees (Washingtonia filifera) located in the car parking area and the Santa Monica Daily Press has reached out repeatedly to the developer and architects in an attempt to discover if these will be preserved, or simply cut down and carved up, but has as yet received no comment.

Look out for our future coverage of how potentially three years of construction on this site, next to one of the busiest intersections in the City, will impact local residents and businesses.

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Scott fell in love with Santa Monica when he was much younger and now, after living and working in five different countries, he has returned. He's written for the likes of the FT, NBC, the BBC and CNN. More by Scott Snowden