more articles like this

Goleta Fresh & Easy
updated: Mar 13, 2013, 7:50 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Is there any news on the Fresh & Easy market on Calle Real in Goleta? Is it going to open despite corporate issues ? If so, when ?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 384059	2013-03-13 08:03 AM
It is on indefinite hold. The company has no plans to open any new stores at this time.
COMMENT 384067	2013-03-13 08:26 AM
It would be nice if Trader Joe's moved into that space...better parking and a bigger store!
COMMENT 384071	2013-03-13 08:29 AM
Trader Joes. Do you all know it started as a store that resold items that nobody wanted? Love how they are able to turn bunky foods into prime purchases.
COMMENT 384076	2013-03-13 08:38 AM
The company is close to bankrupcy. They may even close the store on Milpas.
COMMENT 384085	2013-03-13 08:54 AM
Yup it's trying to sell off its stores. So doubt they open a new ne like others said
BURNTTHISTLE	2013-03-13 09:02 AM
They are not close to bankrupsy as they are a wholly owned by Tesco one of the largest grocery chains in the world. Tesco has just decided to end the outflow of cash from this bad business venture by putting it up for sale or possibly just closing it down
COMMENT 384095P	2013-03-13 09:07 AM
Never fond of F&E--seemed like TJ's discontinued model of buying up discontinued goods. One of TJ's early models was to buy well-known products undergoing labeling redesign or ingredient change. They'd buy up product, sell on the cheap and everybody profited. Now they seem to find a hot new product, sell it for a while to assess popularity, then sell it under their own TJ label. F&E products seem to be mostly off-brand. I lament both F&E's and TJ's recent direction towards pre-prepared foods in the grab & go cases. Expensive refined foods with additives and lack of flavor, much less freshness. Grocery Outlet stores sell off brand and discontinued foods at much lower prices. They sell Producer's dairy and some good Latin American cheeses.
COMMENT 384110	2013-03-13 09:43 AM
How about some tasty horsemeat that Tesco accidently had for sale?
COMMENT 384134	2013-03-13 10:39 AM
I remember Trader Joe's when it was Pronto market in Los Angeles, back in the day. I agree, TJ's please move down the street: more parking, big store!!!
MTNDRIVER	2013-03-13 11:10 AM
I remember when TJ's was Pronto Market, way back in the 50s! That was the genesis of it all. Joe didn't "resell" food, he got deals on overstock or with producers of foods (wine and cheese were the mainstays at first) who couldn't make deals with larger retailers or who sold part of their product directly to TJ (retailer) for more than they would get from a wholesaler. TJ paid less than he would to a wholesaler, so both made out. I remember when they first started selling French cheese and cheap wine at Pronto Markets, before it became TJ's--I think my mother bought her first piece of French brie at a Pronto in Pacific Palisades.... That's going back over 50 years.
COMMENT 384147	2013-03-13 11:35 AM
The most annoying thing about the Goleta Trader Joes parking lot is not the amount or configuration of the parking spaces, it is the people who insist on turning left coming out of that lot during rush hour, interminably blocking the exit.. Moving Trader Joes to this location, so close to Fairview, would be an even bigger nightmare.
COMMENT 384170	2013-03-13 12:23 PM
Construction was about 25% complete on this place when Tesco decided to withdraw their support. It is a smart decision for them - they simply wanted to see if this type of store would be successful in the US - they gave it a defined period of time and then made the logical decision when the stores performed poorly. Unfortunately they are into a very long lease with the Goleta property and will likely have to find a tenant for the place. And....TJ's is on a very long lease as well.
COMMENT 384179	2013-03-13 12:45 PM
TJ's can't move there. That building has too much available parking.
COMMENT 384187P	2013-03-13 01:02 PM
What building is everyone referring to?
COMMENT 384190	2013-03-13 01:07 PM
Mtndriver: you're giving away our age.(shhhh)
COMMENT 384198	2013-03-13 01:33 PM
187P - Where Santa Barbara Motorsports used to be before they moved across from the airport. Between the car wash and Zodos. Old location of the Good Earth restaurant. Across the street from Rabobank and Fresco Cafe. 34:26:26.7N, 119:49:45.7W
COMMENT 384204	2013-03-13 01:42 PM
187P - Exactly 450 paces due west of the current Trader Joe's entrance.
COMMENT 384205P	2013-03-13 01:44 PM
Ok, hahaha. I got it, thanks.
COMMENT 384215	2013-03-13 02:13 PM
Let's put the 99cent store at Fresh and Easy's building on Milpas - it'/s the perfect location. I don't ever see anyone in the Fresh and Easy. I know there has been one built with signage, etc, ready to go and it's been sitting for years. I don't think it is working in Santa Barbara.
AUNTIE S.	2013-03-13 05:14 PM
YAY 4147! Thank you for saying that. I've been muttering the same thing every day and think they should forbid left turns all along the strip except for the top end (by Denny's) and the bottom (by CVS). The jams are insane.
COMMENT 384383	2013-03-13 07:28 PM
F&E was and is junk, and junk from afar at that. Good riddance! I miss Whitefoot meat market.
COMMENT 384394	2013-03-13 07:50 PM
As an Eastside resident, I like shopping at F&E on Milpas. They are much cheaper than Ralphs downtown and the quality of their products is good. Between F&E and TJ's, I rarely have to shop the big grocery stores anymore.
COMMENT 384459	2013-03-14 06:34 AM
198 - you mean the Bray's Family 101 restaraunt?
COMMENT 384479	2013-03-14 06:57 AM
459, agree, bring back Bray's!
COMMENT 384486	2013-03-14 07:15 AM
Bring back Whitefoot meat market!
COMMENT 384490P	2013-03-14 07:18 AM
Went to the Fresh and Easy in Santa Maria (or was it Lompoc) about 18 months ago and saw packaged salads on the shelves that were waaaaay past their sell date, which was printed clearly on the pack. You could see the brown bits on the lettuce from 10 feet away. We told one of the clerks, who didn't seem to understand us, so we told the person at the check out stand (we didn't buy anything). Never went back and wasn't surprised to hear they weren't doing well.
MUSIC MAN	2013-03-14 09:30 AM
A few days ago, someone moved a trailer onto the old Bray's 101 lot. [The kind of trailer with stove and refrigerator.] Maybe someone will move in as a "watchperson" to keep an eye on the camera up on the tower in the same lot.
COMMENT 384627	2013-03-14 09:47 AM
384459 - If you say so. That was way before I moved here. never heard of Brays.
COMMENT 384708P	2013-03-14 11:34 AM
Fresh 'n Easy just came in, wiped out Whitefoot Meats, Milpas' prettiest plaza/outdoor barbeque, and several other restaurants and now it's just going to disappear! Of course. I do appreciate somewhat that meanwhile the local Fresh and Easy management tried to adjust its inventory to the area, but instead we really desperately needed Scolari's location filled by a Safeway- or Ralph's- or Von's-like full-service family-price store within walking distance to serve Eastside residents who walk and don't have cars during the day. (Hello, City of SB Planning, anybody listening?) And, 215, we have our nice little Milpas dollar-store type bodegas already and the '99 Cent' competition would be inappropriate -- in other words, settled successful store areas like parts of Milpas should have some defenses against chain stores just sitting down in the middle and running out the locals. Total out greed free enterprise sucks for the locals.
COMMENT 384733P	2013-03-14 12:18 PM
Wiped out Whitefoot Meat and the Mexican chicken place and Boca del Rio! Such great food all. I heard the building was owned for years by an old guy who charged manageable rent. Then old guy died and the heirs decided to "improve" the site. So typical, so sad. Anyone know if Don Pepe is still in business somewhere?

33% of comments on this page were made by Edhat Community Members.