The store opened a
second location in Westlake Village on Saturday afternoon.
After a successful two-and-a-half-year run in Malibu,
Vintage Grocers has just opened a second location.
The line stretched around the block Saturday afternoon for
the grand opening of the new store, located in Westlake Village at the
Promenade. The full-service grocery store replaces a Bristol Farms at the
upscale, Rick Caruso-built shopping center.
Many Malibu locals came to show support and to get one of
500 goodie bags Vintage gave away to the first customers through the doors.
Lenny Goldsmith and the New Old played music in the parking lot as the festive
atmosphere that is a hallmark of the Malibu location swept through Westlake as
well.
When Vintage Grocers took over Trancas Market, it was
quickly embraced by the Malibu community for hosting free summer concerts and
movies on the lawn. By bringing the community together and sponsoring local
charities as well as the Malibu marathon and triathlon, the market was given a
Dolphin Award this year for its community service.
Vintage Grocers was founded by Paige Laurie, the
granddaughter of one of the founders of Walmart. When asked about starting her
own successful business, Laurie told The Malibu Times, “It feels amazing and
I’m beyond honored to jump from community to community, meet new friends and
make our family bigger. The three amigos
— Market Director Eric Fuchser, Linda Fuchser and Mary Carbonniere — are an
amazing team. I’m so happy to have them be a part of my life and business. I
can’t imagine doing this without them.”
Eric Fuchser, who has been working tirelessly in Westlake
readying the store for its grand opening, said, “We’ve been truly blessed to
serve the Malibu community the last two-and-a-half years. Our customers have
turned into family and what we thought of as a small community market has
turned into a member of the community. We could not be more grateful in how
this amazing community has embraced us. We are ready to serve the Conejo Valley
and could not be more excited to open our doors.”
Fuchser credited Vintage Grocers success when he said, “We
invest time and effort in the community. Being small makes our retail
experience different. We take care of our customers and take care of our
employees. We serve the community — we embrace people.”
That sentiment was echoed by Carbonniere, who spoke about
the excitement of opening the new location and support she feels from Malibu
customers who showed up for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“It’s beautiful how much love we receive back.”
Because the new location is nearly three times the size of
the Malibu store at close to 30,000 square feet, Vintage Grocers has added new
vendors and offerings. This includes an olive bar, expanded cheese section and
even a wine tasting room. A brand new pizza oven has been installed and even
more, fresh, ready-to-eat food will be available, including poke, an expanded
coffee bar with bakery and European style cold-pressed juices that will be made
on the premises and served in glass bottles. The company will also focus on
more catering, taking advantage of its bigger kitchen.
Susan Glocer, Vintage Grocers bookkeeper, said not only is
the Westlake location bigger, but she said it’s “beautiful” as well. Glocer
commented on the company’s success saying, “Business has been great. We do
better year after year. We beat last year. Also, people love hanging out here.
It’s like a party atmosphere.”
“It’s a great place to work,” she added.
Even before the Westlake store opened, Vintage Grocers
started its community involvement by sponsoring Westlake High School and Oaks
Christian football programs.
Look for a third Vintage Grocers location coming in 2018.
The store has partnered again with developer Rick Caruso and Caruso Affiliated.
The successful builder behind the Westlake Promenade, The Grove in Los Angeles,
The Americana at Brand in Glendale, and shopping centers in Calabasas and other
southern California locations is constructing a whole new shopping village in
Pacific Palisades.
The Palisades Village is set to open in two years, replacing
what locals have described as the old and tired Pacific Palisades village
shopping area. Vintage Grocers is already in the works for an 11,000-square-foot
location.
On a packed Friday afternoon at the original Trancas
location, Ventura resident Steve Ericksson told The Malibu Times that he stops
at the Malibu Vintage Grocers at least once a week while commuting between
Ventura and Santa Monica.
“I like the vibes here. And the coffee.”