Grocery Chain Smart Final Reportedly Makes Bid for Shuttered Fillmore Safeway Space

Smart & Final has made a pending offer to lease the Fillmore Safeway grocery store, which has been vacant since its February closure. Safeway's plans to develop a housing complex with Align Real Estate could complicate the bid, as they have not yet submitted formal proposals for that project. Smart & Final's offer includes a five-year lease and an investment of at least $5. 5 million, but they also request significant concessions such as no base rent or property taxes. Furthermore, the grocery chain is asking for a police presence during business hours to enhance safety.

Mayor Daniel Lurie's office is reportedly involved in discussions about the site, and other grocery chains have been mentioned as potential bidders. The recent lifting of the formula retail ban on Van Ness Avenue may have made the location more attractive for Smart & Final and other retailers. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood noted that the bid appears financially reasonable and could facilitate a grocery store's return to the area by next year. However, any new tenant could take up to 18 months to receive City Hall approval.