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Smart And Final Opens New Blackstone Location

It’s not every day that the mayor of Fresno and city councilmember attend the opening of a grocery store, but that was the scene this morning at a new Smart and Final on Blackstone Avenue.

The location grocery store was the center of a heated political debate earlier this year between Mayor Ashley Swearengin and City Councilmember Clint Olivier, who both chose to attend the opening.

The store is moving into a building left vacant when previous grocery store went out of business.

District Manager James Wood says he is confident their store can thrive despite intense competition that drove the previous store under.

“It just makes good sense. This area has been kind of distressed for a while now. It is all about value shopping. And that is what we offer our customers is a very good price and a very good deal for their money,”

Smart and Final initially wanted to build a new store across the street but that plan got bogged down in the political fight because of the requirements of the city’s new general plan. When Savemart closed, it represented an opportunity for Smart and Final to move in.

Swearengin and Olivier both say the opening of a new store is a positive for the neighborhood, which had seen the closure of two groceries in a short period of time.

Following a tour of the store, Swearengin applauded the decision to open on Blackstone Avenue.

“This is going to be a terrific amenity for this neighborhood. And we are very, very happy for Smart and Final and we wish them the best of luck in their new store,” Swearengin said.

Customers lined up before the store opened in the morning and packed the aisles, leading to a long line at checkout.

Shopper Brandy Mayfield says she was concerned that her neighborhood would lose their grocery store when the Savemart closed earlier this year.

“It is a great idea. It is a great store. And I am happy to be shopping here. They are serving a need and doing very well,” Mayfield said.

The new store is the fifth Smart and Final in the Fresno-Clovis area.

Jeffrey Hess is a reporter and Morning Edition news host for Valley Public Radio. Jeffrey was born and raised in a small town in rural southeast Ohio. After graduating from Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio with a communications degree, Jeffrey embarked on a radio career. After brief stops at stations in Ohio and Texas, and not so brief stops in Florida and Mississippi, Jeffrey and his new wife Shivon are happy to be part Valley Public Radio.