September 24, 2009 

BY THANDISIZWE CHIMURENGA

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Tesco, The United Kingdom-based owner of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc., has begun work on its latest South Los Angeles location at South Crenshaw Boulevard and West 52nd Street.

A permit to demolish the site — the former home of Crenshaw Motors Ford — was obtained on July 14.

The Ford dealership, which had been a Crenshaw Boulevard fixture for nearly 70 years, shut its doors in January 2007. Its departure created a cultural void as much as an economic one.

At that time, columnist Erin Aubry Kaplan wrote in the L.A. Times, “ … for blacks historically used to second- or third-rate treatment at the hands of the retail establishment, the whole service culture of car lots was significant — shiny floors, up-to-the-minute merchandise, upbeat salespeople catering to every customer whim.” 

The appearance of the Fresh & Easy chain in South L.A., whose Web site says it believes “in making fresh and high-quality food accessible in every neighborhood,” could signal a new era for South L.A. that many have been hoping and working for.

Carolyn Hull, the Community Redevelopment Agency’s administrator for the South L.A. region, said that Tesco was one of several retailers the agency took on a “tour” of South L.A. 

“Oftentimes, the retailers don’t understand the purchasing power in our communities, so by bringing them in, by doing tours, we kind of get over the perception (of South L.A.), and they see the reality that there is ample opportunity to be in this community and to make their retail stores viable,” Hull said.  

As part of the CRA’s strategy to attract business to South L.A., one of the “key sectors” it targeted was grocery stores.

The site at West 52nd Street and South Crenshaw Boulevard is close to the Crenshaw-Slauson Redevelopment Project Area which, according to Hull, is another reason  Tesco had expressed interest in the property.

In order to attract and retain businesses in the project area, the CRA has provided grants and/or low-income loans to businesses in the area for commercial façade improvement, including the purchasing of equipment and reducing land costs.

“This reduces blight, and public funding attracts private enterprise,” Hull said.

The idea of providing foods in South L.A. that are fresh is, well, not easy.

The Alliance for Healthy and Responsible Grocery Stores — a coalition organized to ensure access to healthy foods in all communities — has been a vocal critic of Fresh & Easy. A spokesperson for the group said that Tesco has been unwilling to discuss the formation of a community benefits agreement (CBA) that would give the community an opportunity to be a partner with Tesco.

“When Tesco came to L.A., they made promises in a very public way that they were going to operate differently from the (grocery) industry — chief being they would open in areas that other stores would not; be a good neighbor; be environmental leaders in the industry; and provide for good jobs,” said Elliott Petty, a spokesman for the alliance. “That’s why we offered them (the opportunity) to put those promises in writing; in a very public way.”

Petty said the discussion of a CBA with Tesco would be held “with a broad community of stakeholders regarding good jobs, good benefits on the job, more on their environmental plans, sustainable lifestyle, and keeping neighborhoods clean.”

Repeated calls to Tesco’s El Segundo-based headquarters for comment were not returned by presstime. 

Residents of the area where the new store will set up shop are optimistic.

“I think it’s a great idea for the community,” said Judith Dorsey, a 31-year resident of West 52nd Street. “I’d rather have that than a liquor store or a strip mall.”