Draeger’s Market in Danville will close its doors after almost 20 years

By Katie Nielsen

An upscale grocery store in the East Bay announced it’s closing after almost 20 years in business, blaming it on the shopping center management.

Draeger’s Market first started in San Francisco in 1925, then expanded, opening the Blackhawk store in 2007.

Since then, it’s been an anchor tenant and one of the only remaining businesses at the almost vacant Blackhawk Plaza. Other businesses are now worried about what it means for attracting shoppers.

“This is my work here,” said Gene Howard, an artist and part of the Blackhawk Gallery, which is run as a co-op.

“I think it’s the premier gallery in the East Bay. The size of the gallery, the wall space, the floor space. It’s wonderful!” he said.

The gallery first opened in 2009, two years after Draeger’s Market,  and Howard said for a while it had great foot traffic. After the movie theater closed and many of the shops and restaurants closed, they’ve seen fewer and fewer people wandering in. It’s why losing Draeger’s could be a hit to the remaining businesses in the plaza.

“It’s a shame there’s not more activity, and we would benefit from that,” said Howard.

Draeger’s Market owner, John Draeger, did not want to talk with CBS News Bay Area on camera, but instead sent a statement saying that when they decided to open in 2007, “The shopping center used to be fully leased and well cared for. This is no longer the case.”

“It’s a draw. It definitely brings people here. With Draeger’s gone, I just feel like it’s going to collapse,” said Cheri Scolari, a Draeger’s shopper.

The shopping center has faced numerous struggles over the years. Back in1997, there was an article in the SF Gate talking about how the shopping center was struggling, and less than a third of the space was leased out. The article said part of the problem was the fact that the shopping center is 7 miles from the freeway, making it a destination only for those who live nearby – certainly not enough of a population to support stores like Saks 5th Avenue that used to have a location here in the 90s.

One shopper pointed out, on some days, there are more geese in the plaza than people.

“It’s sad. Draeger’s even sells the duck food for them,” said Amy Sidebottom. 

She used to live nearby, but now lives in Dublin and still drives over just to shop at Draeger’s. She said she understands why they need to close.

“There were so many shops, and so it’s hard to see the shopping center as a whole not have as many things. I remember when there was an Ann Taylor here,” said Sidebottom.

With the largest tenant leaving, Howard and others worry about the future.

“If things change dramatically, I have no idea what we’ll do,” he said.

Draeger’s will close for good in Blackhawk sometime in mid-February. The stores in Menlo Park and Los Altos will remain open.

CBS News Bay Area reached out to the property management company for comment about the business situation at the plaza, but no one responded to the requests.