Saturday, May 9, 2009

LIttle Mexico--Briggs girls lets Go!


Jay and I went to visit the New Ranch Market, up on stapley and southern, a hop , skip jump from our house, yes we are in thethe barrio.......this is a remarkable store, they have a spanish store with all its delicacys, yes a pigs head with an apple in the mouth, huge huge pigs ears,. they have a restaruarant, the drinks, like horchata, and watermelon, it is a plethora of delights if you like the Rocky Point Venue. You may be the minority, and down a little further there is a shoe shop and blouse store that is no bigger than 6x6........New Hispanic grocery in Mesa to hire 400

Pro's Ranch Market, which already has four stores in Phoenix and one in Glendale, will expand to Mesa to serve a growing Hispanic population in the East Valley and other lovers of Mexican and South American foods.

The 65,000-square-foot market will be located in the new Mesa Ranch Plaza at the northwest corner of Southern Avenue and Stapley Drive. The 18-acre Spanish colonial-style shopping center developed by Diversified Partners has lined up tenants who appeal to Latino shoppers.

The center hopes to appeal to the large Hispanic population in the area. But Pro's Vice President of Operations Rick Provenzano said the upscale grocery will appeal to a wider audience.

"We're a Hispanic-themed store, but we cater to everyone in the neighborhood," he said.

The store will feature La Cocina (The Kitchen), a picnic table-seating restaurant with meals made from fresh meats, tortillas, breads and produce available elsewhere in the grocery.

The aisles will feature familiar brands plus imported Hispanic items throughout the store. Bilingual signs will be displayed throughout, and mariachi and salsa musicians will lend a festive atmosphere, Provenzano said.

Another feature of the store will be 10 niches where small and startup businesses can rent space, he said. Provenzano expects the small offices will be occupied by cell-phone distributors, insurance sellers, travel agents and similar businesses.

Pro's will face competition from two nearby Food City stores operated by Bashas' and a Wal-Mart superstore about a mile away. But Provenzano said his company occupies a slightly different market niche.

The family-owned grocery chain began in 1982 when Mike Provenzano, the company founder, opened a small grocery with six check-out stands in Ontario, Calif. At first it wasn't Hispanic themed, but as the neighborhood around the grocery changed, so did the store.

Provenzano waited to expand until his four sons - including Rick - had earned college degrees and joined the business. Then the company expanded to California's Central Valley in 1997 and to the Phoenix area in 2003. In the past two years Pro's has moved on to El Paso, Texas, and Albuquerque, N.M.

In addition to Mesa, the chain is building a fifth store in Phoenix and one in Los Lunas, N.M. Beyond that, "we will focus on our current stores," Rick said.