Corona del Mar Today: Opening of Haggen grocery store moved to May
Corona del Mar’s Albertsons store will be converted to a Haggen grocery in early May, a company spokeswoman confirmed.
Haggen, pronounced “hay-gunn,” announced in December that the store at 3049 East Coast Highway would be part of a 146-store acquisition. The CdM store was to open in March but the date was changed.
“Right now the timing is slated for the store to close at 6 p.m. May 5, and open as Haggen on at 4 p.m. May 7,” spokeswoman Stephanie Goddard said in an email. “Date and times are subject to change, but this is the current schedule.”
The business was granted a business license on March 25, indicating it would employ 52 workers, online city records indicate.
According to a company news release, Haggen opened its first California store on March 11, when an Albertsons in Carlsbad was converted. That store was the first of 83 in the state that will become a Haggen store in the first half of this year.
Haggen also took over a Laguna Beach Albertsons at 30922 South Pacific Coast Highway earlier this month, with nine other Haggen stores slated to open this spring in Orange County.
The Pacific Northwest grocery chain, which was founded in 1933 in Bellingham, Wash., will offer current employees a chance to become Haggen employees.
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Newport cops win division in foot race
The Newport Beach Police Department’s running team placed first in their category at the annual Baker to Vegas 120-Mile Challenge Cup Relay, according to a department news release.
The victory is the department’s 11th straight win, the release said.
“Running teams from 278 law enforcement agencies from around the world competed in the 31st annual relay, which was held last weekend on March 28 and 29,” the release said. “The Newport Beach team has placed first in its category thirteen times in the last fifteen years. This year, the team placed 1st in the 150 Division and 20th overall.”
The race course included a climb of more than 5,000 feet, then descended through winding back roads in the Mojave Desert, the release said. The department’s team included 20 runners, four alternates and about 20 support personnel.
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New businesses at Sunny’s spot
It’s been nearly a year since demolition occurred at the old Sunny’s Photos building at 2828 East Coast Highway, and now a new business has signs in the windows of one of the two new retail spaces, announcing it will open soon.
Cottage Colour has added signs in the window showing models in dresses with scarves and jewelry, but no opening date is listed. A search of city business license records does not show a new business license issued for that name or for the address at 2836 East Coast Highway.
In August 2013, the Newport Beach Planning Commission approved plans for the two new retail spaces. The former building, which was occupied by Sunny’s Photos for a decade, was a temporary building that was more than 50 years old.
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CdM Citibank to close soon
Corona del Mar’s Citibank branch, scheduled to close at 3 p.m. June 19, is one of four California Citibanks that will close simultaneously, a company spokesman said.
Customers of the branch at 3021 East Coast Highway received letters, dated March 13, that said accounts would be transferred to the Newport Center branch, a mile away at 1100 Newport Center Drive.
The other branches that are closing are in California but not in Orange County, said Andrew Brent, director of public affairs for Citibank’s U.S. Consumer and Commercial Banking division, in an email.
Corona del Mar Today appears Sundays in the Daily Pilot. Read daily updates at coronadelmartoday.com.