A new upscale grocery store is coming to SLO County, and residents are excited

Atascadero residents are “very excited” about upscale grocery store Valley Fresh coming to town in November.

The Solvang-based grocery store will be located in the Del Rio Marketplace in a 33,000-square-foot building, a development that will also include retail buildings, restaurants, offices, breweries and about 100 apartments.

Originally, developers hoped to open the grocery store last winter, but construction delays set the time frame back.

Developer Clint Pearce of Madonna Enterprises who heads the project said that construction workers are currently working on finalizing exterior features of the building.

“This is going to be a full-line, high-end, full-service grocer,” Pearce said.

Pearce said Valley Fresh is a “high-touch, high-quality” grocer, stocked with fresh goods and featuring services like a cafe and barista, cut flowers and a deli counter.

“The whole operation is going to be really nice and full service,” Pearce said.

Similar to the Whole Foods in San Luis Obispo or the California Fresh in Pismo , the store will offer customers items they can eat on-site, with a barbecue patio that seats between 50 and 100 people in the front open every day, Pearce said.

“You can buy things in the deli, or you can get items that are freshly barbecued and have them right there on site, or take them home,” Pearce said.

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Pearce said he’s received a positive response from Atascadero residents from the moment the developer announced Valley Fresh was coming to the area.

“That excitement seems to be building every time I talk to someone,” Pearce said.

Pearce said Valley Fresh will be a good addition to the area because the North County is short on high-end grocery options.

He said there are enough discount grocers like Grocery Outlet and traditional markets like Vons in Atascadero and Albertsons in Paso Robles , but the community has missed out in terms of having a upscale, full-service grocer.

When can people move in to the 100 apartments?

The grocery store is just one part of the $70 million project, Pearce said. It also includes apartment units and mixed-use commercial space.

Right next door to Valley Fresh will be a 10,000-square-foot retail building, which will include on-site spirit maker Central Coast Distillery . There will also be a restaurant with gourmet chefs and an approximately 2,000-square-foot outdoor patio with fire pits and fa ireplace.

“They’re going to have wonderful food offerings as well to pair with their spirits,” Pearce said.

The three-story apartment buildings will offer mixed-use, commercial space on the first floor with housing units above. One of the buildings will include 42 apartments on the upper two floors. The other will have about 60 units.

In total, Pearce said there’s about 50,000 square feet of “flex commercial space.”

Pearce said this will be used for offices and more unique enterprises like a maker space where small furniture manufacturing can be done, as well as wine tasting and craft brewers.

Pearce estimated that residents and business will be able to move in around late 2025.

Valley Fresh will be open every day from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. For more information, visit valleyfreshmarkets.com .