Altadena's Grocery Outlet reopens for first time since devastating Eaton Fire

Eaton Fire: Altadena's Grocery Outlet reopens

The recovery process continues following the LA wildfires. On Wednesday, a grocery store reopened in Altadena as a sign of hope.

LOS ANGELES - Altadena’s Grocery Outlet opened its doors for the first time since the Eaton Fire tore through the community.

Owners Jose and Sandra Valenzuela welcomed customers to the store at 2270 N. Lake Avenue on Wednesday morning.

Surviving the Eaton Fire

The backstory:

Grocery Outlet was one of the few businesses that survived the Eaton Fire and was able to reopen after extensive cleaning and replacing about 30 tons of product that was lost due to smoke damage inside the store.

The store owners say the product that was lost as a result of smoke damage was valued at $850,000 and was covered by insurance.

The Valenzuela’s, married for more than 30 years, opened the business in 2021, which quickly became a neighborhood staple. It served as one of only two grocery stores in town before the devastating Eaton fire tore through parts of the Aldi Grocery store in the adjacent lot.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Aldi Food Market goes up in flames

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The Aldi Food Market went up in flames in Altadena on as the tore through the area.

"We’re happy to be here, but it’s also bittersweet because our neighbors are not with us," said owner Sandra Valenzuela. "We’re hoping to see a lot of our familiar faces today. We’re going to share a lot of hugs and tears I’m sure and a lot of smiles, We just want the community to know we are here."

Five of the Grocery Outlet’s 25 employees lost their homes to the flames. The owners felt it was also important to reopen the store for the employees impacted by the fire. Three employees who lost their homes have since returned to work.

While the business was closed during the wildfire recovery efforts, the Valenzuela’s used the store’s parking lot to host multiple community events for residents impacted by the fire.