Amazon has been tight-lipped about its plans for Amazon Fresh grocery stores around the Sacramento area, and at least two local projects are waiting for the retail giant to make the next move.
The Amazon Fresh grocery concept is a brick-and-mortar store that allows customers to shop in person or online for items ranging from meat and produce to prepared foods. Since rolling out its first Amazon Fresh store in September 2020, the company has opened a total of 44 sites throughout the U.S., according to its website.
Officials and landlords across the country have reportedly been in the dark as of late regarding Amazon's plans for its additional grocery stores. The Seattle-based company hasn't opened a new Amazon Fresh location since September 2022, commercial real estate publication The Real Deal reported in December.
It appears Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) planned multiple grocery stores in the Sacramento area, based on public filings.
Last year, the company applied for alcohol licenses for its planned Amazon Fresh store at 7530 Elk Grove Blvd. in Elk Grove's The Ridge retail center. Leasing materials for the center, which is owned by an entity of Pappas Investments, indicate a planned grocer at the center will occupy an approximately 42,000-square-foot space.
Construction of the building that will be occupied by Amazon Fresh has been completed. Kelly Rule, who handles leasing for the center on behalf of Pappas Investments, said signage has gone up and the space has fixtures, though she declined to state how long it's been since construction was completed.
"We are just waiting for them to start stocking the shelves and open up," Rule said in an email. "They have not given us an update on opening. Other than that, that's all we know."
The Elk Grove location is not listed on the company's website. When asked about projects in the works around the Sacramento area, Amazon spokesperson Jessica Martin said in an email that the company does not "comment on our future roadmap, so I do not have any details to share with you at this time."
Filings indicate an Amazon Fresh store is also proposed for a former Toys R Us store space at 6780 Stanford Ranch Road in Roseville. Since filing a sign application for Amazon Fresh at the location last January, additional building plans have been submitted for things like fire sprinklers and new hood and duct systems, though the plans refer to the project generically.
Helen Dyda, a spokesperson for the city of Roseville, said the building permit for the tenant improvement at the Stanford Ranch Road location is still active and has not been finalized.
"They also have several building permit revisions that have been approved," Dyda said. "But we don't have any more information."
Sacramento County records have shown an unnamed grocery store is also planned at Country Club Centre at Watt and El Camino avenues in Arden-Arcade, with a term that Amazon has used as a code name appearing on records associated with that store.
The building shell at 3460 El Camino Ave. appears to be completed and its outer color scheme of white, green and gray is consistent with other established Amazon Fresh stores, though no signage has been posted.
Jeff Hagan, who handles leasing for Country Club Centre on behalf of Gallelli Real Estate, said he could not comment at this time when asked about updates regarding the vacant space.
An unnamed grocery store is also planned as part of the redevelopment of the Sunrise Village retail center in Citrus Heights. A rendering of the planned grocery store on Sunrise Village's leasing website shows a design similar to Amazon Fresh stores. Leasing representatives for the center did not respond to requests for comment.
