Willow Glen Resident

News

Save Mart will not move into Albertsons' old space on Bird Avenue

By Alicia Upano

Zanotto's in Willow Glen? Maybe.

Zanotto's has been eyeing the Albertsons at 1409 Bird Ave. since the grocery giant announced the store would close in June, along with 36 underperforming stores in Northern California. Since then, Zanotto's' ability to lease the space has been a stop-and-go effort.

A Washington, D.C.-based investment banking firm, The Food Partners, is helping Albertsons divest itself of the California stores, including the Bird Avenue site.

Albertsons' or the Food Partners' plans are still unclear, but residents have speculated the vacant space might soon be home to a national discount chain store instead of Zanotto's, which is favored by the community.

When word got out a Save Mart was negotiating for the space, neighbors organized.

Willow Glen residents sent numerous letters to Albertsons, Save Mart and San Jose City Councilman Ken Yeager's office. Padres Drive resident Joanne Connolly wrote to Yeager on Nov. 6 saying Zanotto's could bring the neighborhood the quality produce and meats residents often have to drive several miles to find. Save Mart, on the other hand, would be a step backward, she wrote.

Like other residents, Connolly said the former Albertsons hasn't offered quality goods for many years.

"It's frustrating when you live in an area and you can't go to your neighborhood grocery store," Connolly said. "That shopping center could be really nice."

Within days, Yeager's office had done some research through the city's Office of Economic Development. On Nov. 9, Yeager said Zanotto's was no longer being considered as a tenant.

However, by Nov. 14, the Save Mart deal fell through for the Bird Avenue location, and Zanotto's was back in play.

"We'd love the opportunity, but it's not in our hands now," said Fred Zanotto of the family-owned operation. "Zanotto's, in the big scheme of things, we're like a gnat on an elephant."

Zanotto also dispelled the rumor that union grocers were preferred over Zanotto's. It was city officials such as Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez, and not the business owners, who were pushing for a union shop, he said.