Wal-Mart Finds Santa Clarita Ripe for Grocery

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has faced significant hurdles lately in its attempts to open stores in Burbank and Chinatown, but so far early plans for a store in Valencia have gone unchallenged. The Bentonville, Ark. retailer is looking to open what appears to be one of its Neighborhood Markets inside the Valencia Town Center, the Santa Clarita Valley’s largest indoor mall. The neighborhood markets are smaller stores of about 33,000 square feet that sell groceries as well as some general merchandise. For an Oct. 16 meeting of the Santa Clarita Planning Commission, the notice of public hearing listed an item as changes at the mall for a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. Discussion of the item was postponed until the commission’s next meeting on Jan. 15. Rachel Wall, senior manager of community affairs for Wal-Mart, wouldn’t confirm the company’s plans, but said in an email the company is “always looking for opportunities to better serve communities and provide more convenient locations for our customers.” However, Wal-Mart already operates a Supercenter, its largest retail format, in Santa Clarita, and the space available at the mall, about 30,000 square feet, is more in line with its grocery stores. For the planning commission’s next meeting, the item is described as a request by mall owner Westfield Group to allow the sale of groceries at the center. “To enhance the diversity and range of choices for our customers, Westfield is moving forward with the city review/approval process for additional uses – including a grocery – at Westfield Valencia,” said Catharine Dickey, executive vice-president of corporate communications for Westfield, in an email to the Business Journal. For the Oct. 16 meeting, Australia-based Westfield, which operates its U.S. malls out of its Los Angeles office, had requested a redesigned vehicle entry along the mall entrance on Valencia Boulevard and the parking lot south of The Patios, where the Wal-Mart would be located. In addition, Westfield planned to request a redesign of the parking lot south of Sears, which would be near the Wal-Mart; a new shopping cart return area; a new elevated loading dock; and architectural changes to the building.