THE COMMUNITY GROCER It’s been an event-filled last few months for Ralphs Malibu, the 20-year community staple which has been lauded for serving residents during the Woolsey Fire and just rolled out an exciting new remodel. ✎ written by Holly Bieler photographed by Julie Wuellner
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hen Ralphs opened its Malibu Colony Plaza store more than 20 years ago, Malibu was a very different place. Still a sleepy beach town, the 1998 opening marked one of the first forays of a large grocery chain into the community. “It’s such a small town, and it felt like we were kind of on our own little island,” said
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Store Manager Chelle Lujan. Fast forward 20 years later, and much has changed at Malibu’s Ralphs market. In early June the store unveiled a massive remodel, infusing shelves with an array of new products and integrating exciting features such as a delicious gourmet hot bar and sushi bar with rolls prepared fresh all day. Inventory changes were expertly curated to serve the Malibu diet and tastes, and include over 1,000 new organic products, a remodeled produce section designed to ensure peak
freshness, and 20 feet of new meat products with gourmet offerings such as wagu, dry-aged and grass-fed beef. Other additions include a new smoked salmon case and much-expanded selections of specialty waters, dairy and nut-milk products, as well as other healthful items popular with Malibuites. However despite all the changes, the core mission and ethos which has made the store a bedrock in the community for over two decades has largely remained the
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