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| New Look for Clairemont Village Click here for full size |
In the past few months activity at the site has generated a lot of speculation among local residents. Trees that were buckling the parking lot were removed, a couple of businesses closed unexpectedly and engineers and surveyors were spotted as well. On social media people reported having heard all sorts of information, from employees of the grocery, other tenants of the center, and from customers about what was going on and what stores might be moving in.
Today, Kleege Enterprises announced to the Clairemont Community News that a Sprouts Farmers Market will be opening in the space currently occupied by Keils. In addition, the space will be expanded from 26,000 square feet to 32,688 square feet. Stores on the west side of Keils (shoe repair, vet, etc.) will remain. On the other side, the jewelry store, the tailor and barber are expected to move to other locations in the center as that area becomes part of the market. The Hometown Buffet space will remain and is being considered now by several tenants (no names until lease is signed!).
Sprouts is a familiar name in Clairemont, well known for its extensive produce section and organic health and beauty products. The new store will be bigger than the one on Genesee, offering more of the everyday products bigger supermarkets generally have.
"We’re excited to announce that we’ve executed a lease in the Clairemont Village with the intent to open a store in Fall 2017," Diego Romero, Sprouts' Corporate Communications Manager said. "There is a strong demand for healthy groceries at great prices in the area and we look forward to bringing our abundant selection to the neighborhood. We plan to share more details next year. In the meantime, residents can look forward to the convenience of a new Sprouts nearby featuring all of our latest amenities, including an expanded deli."
It isn't just the name or size of the store that is changing, the existing 1960's “Town and Country” style of the center is getting a makeover as well. The new look is “Contemporary Beach” style architecture with beach colors accompanied by canvas and metal awnings, metal louver grilles and wood slats for a contemporary appearance.
Naturally, a building that old has plenty of issues beyond what color to paint the facade. The infrastructure is going to need a lot of work to get it ready for the new tenant. According to Chris Smith, one of the partners at Kleege, the company is spending $4 to $5 million on the building, and he estimated that Spouts will spend several million on the interior as well.
A project this big isn't something accomplished in a few months. Keils will be open another 60 days, closing at the end of October. The new Sprouts is expected to open in the fall of 2017. That means a few months of inconvenience as those accustomed to shopping at Keils will need to find temporary alternatives.
Once the store opens, the partners at Kleege Enterprises feel confident the neighborhood will be very happy with the choice of a new expanded Sprouts Farmers Market. They also believe the bigger store will attract more shoppers and more new stores to serve them, creating a vibrant commercial center for this part of Clairemont/Bay Park.
Wow, a Spouts store? Not a real grocery store, but a Sprouts.......
ReplyDeleteNo one I know is thrilled.
DeleteSpouts is a real grocery store.
DeleteSprouts is a speciality store that does not stock the same items as Von's, Ralph's, etc. It's fine for some things but not everyday shopping. At least this has been my experience at the Clairemont Sprouts. Great muffins if you can subsist on that alone. LOL.
DeleteAccording to a recent article in a local newspaper Keil's will be closed by mid October. This was also confirmed by Keil's staff. It must be very upsetting for the employees to be be out of work for the holidays. No one should be excited about that in my opinion.
DeleteAnother Sprouts? Not what community needs. I feel we should protest. Sprouts is expensive and there are many seniors and low income families that depend on Keils. There goes the neighborhood:(
DeleteIn Corvallis, Oregon a Walmart came to the community courtesy of Kleege Enterprises.
DeleteI guess that means there could have been a worse choice than Sprouts ?
The really upsetting part for most of us is the year's downtime. Then there is also the uncertainty of what this particular Sprouts might offer.
I hear that there are good options on Sports Arena and in Mission Hills if one want to make that trek.
What choice do we have now ?
The sales job by Kleege Enterprises at the community planning group 2 years ago was just that - a sales job. There is no commitment to the community by a business situated up north (Del Mar) with investments all over the country. The sales pitch was supposed to make locals feel all warm and fuzzy in thinking that the decisions at Clairemont Village would be pleasing to the community.
Not so. It's all about business and the bottom line. Sadly. This is just the first step. Wait until the proposed 57 foot rental units are built at the back lot behind Keil's.
Great news! Sorry for Keil's but very happy to have Sprouts instead. Now if we could only get a decent restaurant or two in there...
ReplyDeleteBEST... NEWS... EVER! Neighbors are so excited and ready!
ReplyDeleteSad to see Keils leave.
ReplyDeleteSprouts is a non union store. Legally they have a six month wait period. This explains the year long gap before the Fall 2017 opening. So construction is only going to be for 6 months. A lot of people will be out of work and inconvenienced.
ReplyDeleteOut if work is the main sadness here, people are so excited? I am alone in paying rent and bills, I have to stay employed.
DeleteThere have to be at least 40 people without a job after Keil's closes. Why would any of us who have been loyal Keil's customers be excited ? It's a shame that Kleege Enterprises did not work with the existing tenant, Keil's, so the community could enjoy the same great service and selection that it has for almost thirty years. I also wonder if the displayed other businesses like the tailor and barber will really relocate. From what I have heard, the rents are very high so I would guess no. All in all we are losing a great resource.
DeleteA "few months" of inconvenience? Keils' will close at end of Oct 2016, and Sprouts will not open until Fall 2017 means 10-11 months by my calendar. Luckily I can go to the other grocery stores clustered near Genessee and Balboa including Sprouts. Bay Park residents will have to venture into PB or Mission Valley or go further up into Clairemont Mesa for a while.
ReplyDeleteA "few months" on inconvenience? Keils closes end of October - that's 2016. Sprouts opens fall 2017. Almost a year of inconvenience for the seniors in that tower. For the rest of us with cars, it's easy to go to other grocery stores in Clairemont Mesa, PB or Mission Valley or Sports Arena.
ReplyDeleteSprouts must not have the same calendar that I am using. If all goes well with the construction, the community might get a sort of grocery store in Fall 2017. Might is the operative word. A few months in my calendar is one year. Inconvenience is a mild description for most of those who liked having a full grocery store within the Bay Park community.
DeleteYes, Yes, Yes, Spouts is a wonderful grocery store. What a joy, can't wait.
ReplyDeleteGF works at Sprouts and can't get a 40 hour work week after 3 year years employment. Gets put on first shift one day, night shift another day. Amateurish internal management requires high schoolish axx kissing to avoid getting written up for a cheesy minimum wage job.
ReplyDeleteSprouts and Keils both fall from the same type of tree as to product-lines so it's just going to be more of the same, just change the sign out front.
Honestly, the entire neighborhood is a hodge podge of ghetto meets middle class. Until something is done about the daily sirens sirens sirens and rude noise terrorists on motorcycles and street people....this entire area will continue to be a hodge podge of ghetto meets middle class.
With the current real estate prices in Bay Park you would think that our community rates a complete offering grocery store and not a year of downtime.
DeleteAccording to the reviews of Sprouts' employee practices the staff is not treated well.
I don't know if this is true but the comment by one person seems to support this fact.
Kleege Enterprises is merely softening up the neighbors with the supposed better grocery change to accept their proposed 57 foot residential rental development behind Sprouts. This is the opinion of many who are in the know.
My experience with two local Sprouts in Clairemont and Point Loma is that they are small, crowded, limited in offerings and not at all the same quality as Keil's in customer service. For those who think that this is progress to have a Sprouts in the hood, I suggest that they visit the nearby Sprouts and observe the operation.
I fear that some of the seniors in the high rise building behind Keil's will have to get transportation to purchase groceries during the construction.
ReplyDeleteAre they planning to build condos there?
Fantastic news! Sprouts is the best and the Village is in need of a desperate facelift. Thank you!!
ReplyDelete