Westwood stakeholders are excited about the announcement by Kroger (Ralphs) that it plans to build the largest Ralphs Fresh Fare in the country (90,000-95,000 sq. ft.) in Westwood by adding 40,000 square feet adjacent to is existing  Ralphs market.  The new market will include a branch of New Yorks gourmet Murray’s Cheese Shop , a wine tasting room offering weekly tastings of boutique wines and craft beers, a sushi bar with on-site sushi chefs making sushi to order, a stone pizza oven offering fresh made-to-order pizzas, flat screen plasma TVs to watch the games on the weekends,.  The new market will double the fresh produce section (with many more organic offerings), add greatly enlarged deli, prepared foods section, fresh bakery, and 24-hour pharmacy.

According to WCC Chair Steve Sann, Ralphs representatives say that this is similar to what they did at the new Ralphs in Downtown L.A., but on a much larger scale.  Kroger has extended its lease with TIAA-CREF for an additional 20 years, and plans to invest $9 million in capital construction costs and improvements.

According to Sann,  the Westwood Village store currently ranks #1 in total sales among all Ralphs , #1 in pharmacy sales among all Ralphs pharmacies, and is among the Top 5 of all Kroger-owned grocery stores in the U.S.