Vons gets in the small store 'Market'

LONG BEACH, Calif. Vons has launched a new concept store, The Market, in Southern California, which, the company insists, is not intended to imitate Tesco's Fresh & Easy stores, according to reports.

As reported by the OC Register, Vons, which is owned by Safeway, said that it had been working on the format for more than a year. The Market opened quietly in Belmont Shore. The store comes in at 15,000 square feet and offers a scaled down selection of groceries and a large variety of ready-to-eat meals.

Features of The Market are said to include an open-hearth fire pit, a large wine selection and a sandwich shop.

The small format concept appears to be popping up all over the Western region of the United States. Aside from Fresh & Easy, Wal-Mart also intends to open its Marketside stores in Arizona, which like The Market and Fresh & Easy, will offer ready-to-eat meals.