Grocers lag in inner-city markets, study finds.

Lot more stores are needed, post-riot study says

Although 15 new grocery stores have opened in L.A.'s inner city since the 1992 riots, the region is still starving for them, according to a recent study conducted for RLA.

The survey was compiled from interviews with 1,090 residents in eight communities affected by the riots. It was conducted by the L.A.-based marketing research firm ConsumerQuest for RLA, which is a nonprofit organization formed to revitalize L.A. County's neglected communities.

"Residents of all eight sites claim, overwhelmingly, that the primary type of retail establishment they personally need is a supermarket or grocery store," according to the survey.

Following the April 1992 riots, grocery store companies announced plans to build 31 brand new supermarkets in the riot-torn areas. Now three years later, Vernon-based Smart & Final Inc. has opened 10 stores there, La Habra-based Food 4 Less Supermarkets Inc. has opened three, and Arcadia-based Vons Companies Inc. has opened two. Four more stores are in the planning stages with expected openings this year and in 1996, according to an RLA release.

Nevertheless, the City of L.A. as a whole still has three times as many supermarkets per capita as the poor areas of the city, noted Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas in a May 8 speech at the Food Marketing Institute in Chicago.

Traveling to shop

"The consequence of this is that residents of inner-city neighborhoods are forced to either shop outside their neighborhoods or at smaller convenience stores, liquor stores or 'Mom-and-Pop' shops," Ridley-Thomas stated.

Many inner-city residents still have to drive perhaps an extra three miles to get to a supermarket, agreed Steve Soto, president and CEO of the Mexican American Grocers Association. Others who don't own cars take the bus instead and have trouble carrying large loads of groceries home with them, he said. The Mexican American Grocers Association is a trade association based in downtown L.A.

Indeed, more than half of the RLA survey respondents said they currently travel three or more miles to the grocery store.

The inner city could support three times as many supermarkets as already exist, Ridley-Thomas said.

One reason more markets haven't opened up there is that they require large parcels of land, and not enough are available, Ridley-Thomas said.

Pricey permits

Furthermore, the permit-approval process is cumbersome, and business taxes and permits are more expensive, Soto added.

One chain in particular, Vons, is behind in its efforts to open up markets in the inner city, Ridley-Thomas said.

Following the 1992 riots, Vons officials pledged a $100 million expansion consisting of 12 stores. Probably only about half those stores will come to fruition, Ridley-Thomas said.

But Vons spokeswoman Julie Reynolds said Vons was not committed to a specific time frame and is continuing with its program.

Vons is building one store at the corner of Slauson and Vermont Avenues, expected to open next year, and has three other locations under consideration, according to a company statement.