by Max Hauser

Many residents recall the hopeful “downtown grocery store project” a few years ago.  Acknowledging mainstream general retail as a missing element downtown, the city sought a retail tenant, possibly a grocery, for the new parking structure at the California-Bryant corner.  The strongest and ultimately successful bid however came from Long’s Drugs, now CVS.

The prospect of a general downtown grocery had wide appeal, a unifying goal in the neighborhood.  Julie Lovins organized a committee to study options, hoping to attract a small quality grocer to the Bryant site.  Even after CVS opened instead, bringing other useful services and some groceries, discussions toward a general market continued.

In October, providentially, independently, and largely unaware of that history, veteran grocery retailers Ann and Juan Origel acquired the Mountain View Market (MVM) at 340 Castro, after selecting it as the perfect location to create an “aesthetically pleasing, full-service, high quality” independent grocery, specifically tailored to community needs.  It appears that we may get our long-sought downtown grocery, custom-made.  Achieving that will require community participation, both in offering input to the owners, and of course shopping there. CLICK HERE to read more.