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LOCAL NEWS
Northgate brings crowds with opening of new store
By Génesis Miranda La Habra Journal
Northgate Gonzalez markets have just added their newest and one of their biggest supermarkets in the city of La Habra. This new store, which opened on Wednesday March 29, has replaced the original Northgate market that had stood on La Habra Boulevard for years. But this new store is bigger and better in many ways. It includes a huge produce and meat section, a bakery, and a section for hot food ready to go. The lines at each register stretched all the way around the market where people crowded to see what was new at the market. A mariachi band played in the produce section as customers gathered around to take photos. Although Northgate Gonzalez is usually targeted to the Latino community with the kinds of products they carry, it also attracts people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. “It’s gonna be a good melting pot, traditionally Northgate is maybe looked upon as a Hispanic grocery store. This type of grocery store is a fresh format, and we’re hoping to attract all demographics” said Martin Chavoya, district manager of Northgate Gonzalez. There was as big of a crowd inside as there was outside, with a long line of people anxiously waiting to get in. As part of the grand opening, the first 300 customers received a shopping bag including $30 worth of groceries. One of the main expectations of this new Northgate market is “to provide a place where our community can come and get something fresh, some really good quality and some really good customer service,” Chavoya said. Benito Diaz, an employee of Northgate market says he hopes to see the store continue to grow. “Here we have things for different people, for Latinos, Americans, for everyone.” Everything from the products, services and overall size of the market really sets it apart from other local Northgate Gonzalez markets. “I think this is the best store, until now, that Northgate has opened,” Diaz said. Miguel Gonzalez Reynoso, co-president of the Northgate Gonzalez Markets was present at the
Genesis Miranda/La Habra Journal
The doors opened at the new Northgate Market on Whittier Boulevard last week. The supermarket anchors a remodeled shopping center.
grand opening along with a few other members of the Gonzalez family. “For me personally, since I worked as director of the market for 20 years here in La Habra, it was like we owed something to the community,” Reynoso said. Reynoso is one of the 13 members of the Gonzalez family. “We needed to give the community a market they deserved. I felt that the old store was not up to par with what we could give to the community,” Reynoso said. With the opening of this new store, about 140 people were given jobs. Many of them were high school kids who, according to Reynoso, want a part time job.
The market’s bakery makes everything from scratch, as well as in the tortilleria. They also carry more healthy options, Reynoso explained, such as organic and grass-fed items. Something else the market added were financial services where customers can go to send money to their home countries. The majority of the customers present have been customers of the original store for many years, Reynoso said. “That makes me happy because part of making these markets is how to bring the second and third generation,” Reynoso said. Northgate Gonzalez Market is located at 1305 W. Whittier Blvd, La Habra and is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
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