Local shoppers say goodbye to neighborhood grocery store

Posted: May 6, 2012 7:08 PM by Hope Hanselman
Updated: May 7, 2012 8:07 AM

Shoppers in San Luis Obispo are bidding farewell to a familiar place.

Owners of Scolari's Market announced last month all locations on the Central Coast would be going out of business.

Sunday, shoppers loaded their carts with some of the last products remaining. Workers at the San Luis Obispo location on Johnson Avenue say doors will close for good by May 16.

Already, much of the store has been cleaned out. Sunday, the meat, produce, bakery and deli were all empty.

For local families like Kimber Edwards's, it was "the shop around the corner."

"Scolari's has always been one of our favorite stores and it's close by in the neighborhood," Edwards said. "We're sad to that it's leaving."

The San Luis Obispo location opened 18 years ago.

It's gained a loyal following from nearby residents like Matthew Frommalt, who says he never had to stock up on food for the week. Having Scolari's close by was like having another refrigerator a few blocks away.

"It was close to the house, proximity was really the key. I mean, it's not the cheapest grocery store in town, but it was the closest."

It was also one of the few local markets around. Now, many shoppers may have to go farther for groceries. Most of those options are bigger chain stores.

"More traveling to be done to just buy a few items even at a time. It's quite ridiculous," said Anne Ashmann from Morro Bay. She shops at Scolari's on her way to the airport, picking up her husband from business trips.

Now that the location is closing down, however, she's turned to Fresh 'N' Easy.

The store manager there says he's seen more Scolari's customers coming in.

In the end, the competition became too fierce. And the "shop around the corner" couldn't keep up.

"I mean, it's kind of sad," Frommalt said. "It's like losing a friend or something but you make new friends, you get new grocery stores, you drive on."

The property was purchased by a local company, NKT Commercial. No announcement has been made yet about what will go in its place. Many shoppers expect it will be another grocery store.

Locations in Paso Robles, Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara are also closing down this month. Workers estimate about 200 employees will be out of the job.