Walgreens Comes To Anatolia

By Megan Hansen
CNS Staff Writer

The cluster of houses in Rancho Cordova’s Anatolia development is surrounded by empty lots and ragged “coming soon” signs.

Only one sign is new, set in front of a construction site framed by a field of green grass. It advertises the only store for miles around – a new Walgreens.

Walgreens is projected to open its doors at 4050 Sunrise Blvd. in Rancho Cordova in March. It is the closest thing Anatolia residents have had to a grocery store since people began moving into the housing development, a few miles south of Highway 50, in 2005.

Derek Price and his family moved to Anatolia four years ago. Price said he is thankful for the Walgreens, but thought it would only take a year for a grocery store to be built in the area.

“We were supposed to have a Raley’s and a Safeway here,” Price said. “It sucks because it’s 20 minutes to any Bel Air or Raley’s and the closest thing is Costco- but that requires buying in bulk which can be expensive.”

Megan McMurtry, of Rancho Cordova’s Economic Development Department, said the zoning is in place for grocery stores, but stores have decided not to build.

“Safeway has gone through the entitlement process but has chosen not to proceed with building,” McMurtry said. “Raley’s has yet to go through the entitlement process.”

Representatives from Safeway and Raley’s could not be reached for comment.

Terri Fairley has lived in the area for more than two years. She said a Raley’s “coming soon” sign has been on the same corner for at least two years.

“We did think the grocery stores in the area would be built much sooner,” Fairley said. “I assumed once a grocery store was here, all the rest would follow.”

The area surrounding Anatolia lacks not just a grocery store, but any other stores or restaurants. The closest shopping center, with a Costco and a few fast food restaurants, is more than four miles away.

Jon and Yvone Silao moved to Anatolia two and a half years ago with their son and his fiancé. They too have noticed the lack of retail development in the community.

“I was expecting at least a grocery store,” Yvone Silao said. “Walgreens will help but a grocery store and a small mall would be nice.”

McMurtry said grocery stores and other amenities will come in time, but businesses like Safeway won’t build until there are a certain number of residents in Anatolia.

“There has to be a minimum number of rooftops within a certain radius of the store before they’ll locate there,” McMurtry said. “Grocery stores carry perishable items and they want to make sure there are enough people to buy these items so there is no waste or loss of revenue.”

Silao and other Anatolia residents said they believe there are more than enough people in the area to sustain a grocery store.

“I’m a little upset because [the stores] don’t think about all the people from Mather, Rancho Murieta, Elk Grove, Sunridge and the surrounding areas that would shop there,” Silao said. “They’re not including the entire demographic of the area in their count.”

The city of Rancho Cordova has plans to attract more retail businesses and fully develop the Anatolia area. McMurtry said she hopes Anatolia residents will get more retail stores in the future.

“Anatolia was approved by the county before Rancho Cordova became a city and took it over,” McMurtry said. “We want to grow our retail base [there] but with the economy, now is not the time to do that.”

Residents like Price said they want a grocery store but are grateful for the new Walgreens.

“It’s about time we got something out here. It’s not much but at least it’s something,” Price said.