Albertson’s welcomed to neighborhood

Andrew Glazer

COSTA MESA -- A giant new supermarket -- one of Orange County’s largest

-- will open today at Harbor Center.

The 65,000-square-foot Albertson’s supermarket will bring more customers

to the recently remodeled shopping center, said R. Scott Bell, president

of ICI Development Company, which owns the shopping center.

“Grocery stores bring the same shoppers in frequently,” he said. “They

are the most important tenants of an open-air shopping center.”

Albertson’s officials could not be reached for comment.

A much smaller Albertson’s supermarket, just about a block away on Harbor

Boulevard, shut its doors for good late Monday night to make room for its

big sister.

Bell said the super-sized building -- with space-aged, curved

architecture -- will more than adequately replace the older store, which

is only about half its size.

Mayor Gary Monahan, who said he would attend this afternoon’s

ribbon-cutting ceremony, welcomed Albertson’s to the neighborhood.

“I’m looking forward to it being there,” he said. “It will definitely

serve the community.”

Bell said the new Albertson’s will be one of two “modern” supermarkets

along Harbor Boulevard -- the other being a recently renovated Vons at

Adams Street.

But Dave Law, who has rented an apartment near Harbor Center for three

years, said he won’t be shopping at the new Albertson’s. He said there

are already too many supermarkets in the area. He plans to move as soon

as possible.

Law said that The Home Depot, which opened there earlier this month, has

dramatically increased traffic on Harbor near the newly renovated center.

“I’m going to move because of it,” he said. “With Albertson’s, it’s going

to get to be out of control.”

The new store, at 2300 S. Harbor Blvd., will hold an opening ceremony at

4:15 p.m. today.