Gelson’s Opens 1st West L.A. Store
Southern California independent grocer Gelson’s has opened its 28th store and first location in West Los Angeles. The supermarket, located at 12121 West Olympic Boulevard at the corner of Bundy Drive, serves as the anchor of West Edge, a mixed-use residential/office/retail development currently under construction.
Designed by Los Angeles-based Shook Kelley, which has worked on other new and renovated Gelson’s stores, the 33,000-square-foot West L.A. store features polished concrete floors, hanging pendant lights throughout, geometric metal accents, light wood slats and plenty of playful wall art. The color palette, based on the Gelson’s logo, is a range of dark caramel, mahogany and taupe, augmented by creams and blue-greens.
A wine and sushi/tapas bar, distinguished by a quartz counter and contemporary furniture as well as an outdoor patio, was created as a communal hub. In addition to a Wolfgang Puck Express build-your-own pizza bar and a café and bakery with adjacent seating, Gelson’s West L.A. offers service deli, meat/seafood, produce cutting/juicing and floral sections, along with a self-serve salad bar, a hot-food and soup bar, a poké bar, and a dedicated wine and cheese section.
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“The demand has long existed for Gelson’s in West L.A., and we are excited to be the grocery anchor in this new mixed-use development,” noted John Bagan, president and CEO of Encino, Calif.-based Gelson’s. “We have carefully grown the Gelson’s brand for more than seven decades. This is a long-awaited milestone for us, which we look forward to celebrating with the local community.”
“The opening of Gelson’s is an exciting milestone at West Edge as our first retailer,” said Matthew Hines, director at Houston-based Hines, a global real estate investment, development and property manager. “Here at West Edge, we are creating an inviting and diverse community in this untapped area of West L.A. Gelson’s will provide residents and visitors with convenience and a variety of high-quality offerings that will enhance the experience of West Edge.”
Each Gelson’s store offers a wide range of carefully curated produce, meat, seafood, bakery and floral items, as well as chef-crafted signature and seasonal recipes from Gelson’s Kitchen, including deli to-go and catering. The grocer is also known for its top-quality private brands, virtual educational and tasting events, and charitable and community partnerships.
