Last updated on January 18th, 2016 at 08:30 am
by Bob Reeves/The Shelby Report
Southern California grocer Gelson’s will reopen the first of its newly acquired Haggen stores next month.
Executives tell The Shelby Report that the Del Mar store at 2707 Via De La Valle will open Jan. 14 and the Rancho Mirage store at 36-101 Bob Hope Drive will open Jan. 28. In all, Gelson’s picked up eight stores during the recent Haggen store auction; Gelson’s plans to open the remaining stores throughout early 2016; those stores are in Santa Monica, Ladera Ranch, San Diego, Thousand Oaks, Carlsbad and Laguna.
“We’re excited to become part of these communities, a process that may take time in order to customize stores for each neighborhood,” said Gelson’s President and CEO Rob McDougall. “Our goal is to retain as many local Haggen workers as possible while also giving opportunities to existing Gelson’s employees, as well as others who wish to join the Gelson’s family.”
Haggen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September. Gelson’s was selected as a stalking horse bidder in mid-October.
Additionally, Gelson’s plans to open new stores in Rancho Mission Viejo and Manhattan Beach in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Gelson’s currently operates 18 stores. Following the openings of the former Haggen stores and the openings of the Rancho Mission Viejo and Manhattan Beach locations, the company will have 28 stores.
