Another grocery closure: Ralphs to shutter Anaheim store

Ralphs will close its location at Lincoln and State College on Sept. 25, the company confirmed Monday. In June, the Ralphs grocery store in Tustin on Irvine Boulevard, off Newport Avenue, announced it would close in July.
The Quevision system at Ralphs Grocery Store tells customers how many checkout lanes are open, how many should be open and how many should be open in a half hour. The system uses sensors to determine how many shoppers are in the store and estimates the number of cashiers needed.
Ralphs' Simple Truth Organic organic/natural foods line has become a billion dollar brand in less than three years. Ralphs, according to analysts, has been one of the few major traditional markets to fare well amid the invasion of new supermarket concepts. Still, the company has diminished its presence in Orange County, announcing plans to close another location in Anaheim.
Ralphs will close its location at Lincoln and State College on Sept. 25, the company confirmed Monday. Ralphs
Ralphs' cashier Angie Velasquez checks out a customer in Irvine. Ralphs currently has 41 stores in Orange County and eight Food 4 Less locations. In 2006, there were 51 Ralphs locations and five Food 4 Less locations in Orange County. Both stores are owned by Kroger.

By Hannah Madans | hmadans@scng.com | Orange County Register and Orange County Register | Orange County Register

September 1, 2015 at 10:29 a.m.

Ralphs will close its location at 2030 E. Lincoln Ave. on Sept. 25, the company confirmed this week.

The Kroger-owned traditional format grocery store has slowly downsized its presence in Orange County.

In 2006, the company operated 51 Ralphs locations and eight Food 4 Less locations in Orange County. Ralphs currently has 41 local stores and five Food 4 Less locations.

In July, Ralphs closed a Tustin location on Irvine Boulevard, off Newport Avenue, at the Tustin Heights Shopping Center.

In September, the market is scheduled to be converted to Tustin’s first Smart & Final.

Ralphs is among a handful of grocery brands finding it tough to compete in Southern California, including Orange County.

On Aug. 14, Haggen announced it would close four of its 11 Orange County locations within 60 days. Exact closure dates have not been announced.

This summer, El Segundo-based Fresh & Easy closed 14 stores, including locations in Fountain Valley, Lake Forest and Seal Beach.

Bellingham-Wash.-based Haggen debuted in Orange County this spring after acquiring stores from the Alberstons-Safeway merger. In a list provided by the company, 27 stores were slated for closure, including 16 in California.

The Orange County locations slated for closure are:

• Irvine: Portola Parkway

• Mission Viejo: Los Alisos Boulevard

• Tustin: 17th Street

• Tustin: E. First Street

The fate of the remaining seven stores in Orange County is unknown.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans