ALTADENA (CNS) – In a major sign of recovery after the devastating Eaton Fire, an Altadena grocery store that has long served as a social hub in the community reopened Wednesday amid a sea of destruction.
Altadena Grocery Outlet, which escaped major damage in the Eaton Fire despite the devastation around it, opened its doors to the public Wednesday morning at 2270 Lake Ave. In the weeks since the fire, the store — adorned with a banner reading “Altadena Strong — We Will Rebuild!” — has served as a centralized location for various relief efforts, including workers from the American Red Cross, ShelterBox USA, the county Department of Public Health and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“In many ways, it’s a banner day for our community, and a sign of hope for many residents who worry that they’ll be forgotten. We’ve truly missed serving our customers,” Sandra Valenzuela, who owns the Grocery Outlet store along with her husband Jose, said in a statement in advance of the store opening. “Reopening will be bittersweet for us, as we know that so many in Altadena have experienced tremendous loss — including five of our employees who lost their homes. We know that there will be tears, hugs, and many tales to be told as the community recovers and rebuilds.
“We also know that our store is an anchor point for the community, so getting back to normal as quickly as possible is important for everyone. We feel fortunate, despite our own struggles, to be able to reopen — and we sincerely hope other Altadena businesses will be able to reopen soon. Overall, this is a bit like waking up from a recurring nightmare.”
Store officials said the market’s interior was thoroughly cleaned after the fire, and it is now stocked with all new merchandise.
The store itself sustained only “a bit of exterior scorching” in the fire. A “Greetings from Altadena” mural on the building also survived with only some “bubbling” of the paint due to the fire’s heat.
“We’re doing everything we can to help our friends, customers, and even folks who’ve never been in our store,” store co-owner Jose Valenzuela said. “We recently hosted a massive aid-distribution event, organized by our local Rotary Club, that handed out more than 3 1/2 semi-trailer loads of food and supplies to thousands of local residents. As Rotary members ourselves, we know the importance of service over self — and we try hard to live up to that ideal.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger hailed the store’s reopening as a sign of hope in the community.
“This grand re-opening is a big deal,” Barger said in a statement. “Not only does Grocery Outlet bring fresh, affordable food back to the neighborhood, it’s a family run business owned by members of this very community — making it even more meaningful. Grocery Outlet’s reopening represents resilience, hope, and is a testament to Altadena’s strength and determination. It’s proof of why we need to keep rebuilding, keep supporting one another, and most importantly, keep hope alive.”
Recent Comments