By Ines Bebea | Daily Republic | December 27, 2007 15:49
Angela Martinez, left, of Suisun City, and her daughter, Sydny, 8, shop at the new Grocery Outlet store in Fairfield Thursday morning. Photo by Brad Zweerink
FAIRFIELD - Grocery Outlet's grand opening will leave shoppers grilling.
For its official celebration on Saturday, Jan. 5, the first 100 shoppers will walk away with a free George Foreman Grill. Other prizes will be given out throughout the day, in addition to food and beverage samples.
The celebration marks an end to the Berkeley-based company's three-year search for a Fairfield location. Earlier in the year, Grocery Outlet, Inc. announced plans to open a store in Fairfield after 24 Hour Fitness vacated its space on North Texas Street and Travis Boulevard.
'We've had stores in Vacaville and Vallejo and we are excited to be finally be in Fairfield,' said Jon Wylie, a Grocery Outlet spokesman. 'We thought the opening would be better after the holidays because shoppers would be busy with their holiday preparations.'
Grocery Outlet purchased the 33,590-square-foot building, but it only plans to use 24,000 feet. The Fairfield Police Activities League and city leaders have been in talks with Grocery Outlet to convert the remaining space into a teen center.
'The Fairfield store was a long time coming, but the key was finding the right location,' said Tarek Salma, who owns and manages the store.
For shoppers such as Laurie Hopkins, Grocery Outlet is a dream come true. The Fairfield woman did most of her shopping at the Grocery Outlet store in Vacaville. On Thursday, she was excited to be shopping less than a mile from her home.
'I drove to Vacaville because I felt the savings were worth it, although it required extra time to shop there,' Hopkins said. 'It was a store where I went for many of my canned goods, and I'm glad to see that this store has an extensive dairy selection and deli items.'
Thursday was Bhupinder Brar's first time at a Grocery Outlet store. Affordable prices coupled with the variety of produce and food items quickly warmed her feelings toward the store.
'I really wasn't looking to buy a lot of things today. I basically wanted to see what they had,' Brar said. 'It's really close to my house, and it's going to save a lot of time.'
Reach Ines Bebea at 427-6934 or ibebea@dailyrepublic.net.
What: Grocery Outlet's grand opening
When: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Jan. 5, 2008
Where: 200 Travis Blvd., Fairfield
Info: 428-9721
