Councilmember: Pavilions Site Could Sit Vacant Up to 18 Months After Market Closes

The California Boulevard site where Pasadena’s Pavilions supermarket will close in September could sit empty for more than a year, District 7 Councilmember Jason Lyon said in an email Friday.

“It may take the management firm a year to 18 months (or longer) to identify a new tenant, negotiate a lease, and complete any needed site changes,” Lyon wrote. “In the meantime, the City will make sure they maintain regular security at the site.”

Lyon said he reached out to the chain’s parent company after learning the store would close.

“I contacted parent company Albertson’s right away to make the pitch for a rethinking the decision, but they tell me their business model is focused on maintaining larger locations, like the Vons at California Blvd. and Pasadena Ave.,” he wrote.

Lyon said his office then convened a meeting with the owner’s representatives and the city’s Economic Development Department.

“The good news is that we all agree that a market is still the best use for this property,” he wrote.

The Pavilions at 845 E. California Blvd. near South Lake Avenue is scheduled to close Sept. 5, an Albertsons Companies spokesperson told Pasadena Now on July 9.

Lyon called the closure “bad news, and sad news, for our neighborhood,” and “a real loss.”

“Frank [the general manager] and the longtime staff have become familiar faces and beloved friends, and this location is uniquely walkable for surrounding neighborhoods,” he wrote.

Lyon said the store “has been a walkable, full-service market for several residential neighborhoods in District 7” and that “its absence likely means more car trips, less choice, and less convenience for many residents.”

“We will miss it,” he said.

Albertsons said Pavilions and Vons have served Pasadena for 48 years.

In a statement, the company said the decision “isn’t one we made lightly,” adding that “with our focus on growth, we continuously evaluate the performance of our stores and occasionally it’s necessary to close locations that do not meet financial expectations.”

Albertsons said its priority is supporting associates through the transition and that it is working to identify opportunities for affected associates at nearby stores, “consistent with applicable laws and the labor agreement.” The company said it remains committed to serving the Pasadena community at its other Vons neighborhood locations.

Pavilions is operated by Vons, the Southern California supermarket division of Albertsons Companies.

Lyon said the city’s Economic Development Department and his office “will be working to identify prospects for a new tenant at the site” in the coming weeks.