When Vintage Grocers first opened its doors in March 2014, grocery shoppers in the western part of Malibu had been without a market for nearly three years.
HOWS Trancas Market had closed in August 2011, leaving residents and beachgoers with nowhere to turn for fresh food. To say Vintage was a welcome addition to the neighborhood would be an understatement.
“Well, OK, OK, OK … it’s about time for a great new market in Malibu!” Malibu resident Cindy O’Shea wrote in a letter to The Malibu Times the week after Vintage opened, praising the store. “Congratulations, Vintage Grocers: you did good!”
In the two years since then, Vintage has endeared itself more with the community, hosting many events — notably, the summer concert series, which earned it a 2015 Malibu Times Dolphin Award.
On Saturday, it celebrated those two years with an all-day festival, including culinary and product demonstrations from favorite products like Thorne Family Farm and Beachy Cream ice cream. They also offered tastings of local Malibu brands such as Chica Chips, among others; live music performances by The Roman Helmets; and special gifts bags filled with Vintage Grocers’ favorite items for the first 100 customers.
In February, Vintage Grocers received the Harvey Baskin Award at the 2015 Malibu Times Dolphin Awards for “contributions to Malibu and the welfare of its residents by a local Malibu business or business person.” Vintage Grocers was recognized for bringing the community together by sponsoring a well-attended weekly summer concert series of live music. Market Director Eric Fuchser attended the ceremony and accepted the award on behalf of the store.
Vintage Grocers announces new second location
Just days before Saturday’s anniversary shindig, Vintage announced it will be opening a new location in Thousand Oaks by the end of 2016.
The new location is expected to open this fall in the Promenade at Westlake, according to information provided by Vintage Grocers spokespeople. It will replace Bristol Farms, which announced it would be closing earlier this year.
“We’re excited to build on the success of Vintage Grocers and engage another neighborhood in the experience of the store,” said Paige Laurie, owner of Vintage Grocers and Trancas Country Market, in a statement.
The new location will be twice the size of the store in Western Malibu and will “offer an even wider range of in-store products,” the statement read, including a private wine tasting room, fresh poke, olive bars and pressed juices daily.
“Vintage Grocers was created as a place where exceptional foods and relationships are deeply rooted in the shopping experience,” Fuchser said. “We’re excited to join the Westlake Village community and introduce a new standard of excellence in food and customer service.”
