With Pavilions Gone, Where Does the South Lake Avenue Grocery Run Go Now?

Jason Lyon, who represents District 7 on the Pasadena City Council, says his sons "have grown up going to that market, and it was one of the first outings they were allowed to make on their own." The market was the Pavilions at 845 E. California Blvd., just off South Lake Avenue. Albertsons Companies set its closing date for September 5, 2026. By mid-August, Pasadena Now was already reporting the store nearly empty.

South Lake did get busier with food this year. A Thai restaurant, a chai shop and a weekday farmers market have opened, and two more restaurants are on the way. None of them is a full-service grocery. The space Pavilions left is a different kind of space, and the timeline for filling it is longer than most people expect.

A lease ending, and a company that wants bigger stores

Albertsons gave Pasadena Now two explanations. First, the company said it regularly reviews store performance and sometimes closes "locations that do not meet financial expectations." Second, and more specific to this store, "with our lease term ending, we have carefully considered our options and decided to shift our strategy." The Vons Companies filed a closure notice on July 7 under the California WARN Act. The notice covered 55 employees.

Lyon says he called Albertsons right away to ask it to reconsider. He wrote that the company told him "their business model is focused on maintaining larger locations, like the Vons at California Blvd. and Pasadena Ave." That makes the closure a decision about store size. A walkable neighborhood market is the format the company is moving away from. Lyon described the store as "uniquely walkable for surrounding neighborhoods" and said its absence "likely means more car trips, less choice, and less convenience for many residents."

The store was a lunch stop as well as a grocery. When the closure was announced in July, the Daily News talked with a nearby business owner who expected to start getting lunch at Einstein Bros. Bagels instead.

What the empty building is being offered as

The property is already being marketed. Pasadena Now reported on August 18 that commercial listings describe nearly 20,000 square feet as "ideal for supermarket or specialty grocery use." The building dates to 1974 and sits on a 1.11-acre parcel. The lease rate is listed as negotiable, and the land use is classified as supermarket.

Lyon's office met with the owner's representatives and the city's Economic Development Department. He reported that everyone agreed "a market is still the best use for this property." He also warned that it will take time:

"It may take the management firm a year to 18 months (or longer) to identify a new tenant, negotiate a lease, and complete any needed site changes. In the meantime, the City will make sure they maintain regular security at the site."

He gave that estimate in early August 2026. A year to 18 months from then puts a new grocer somewhere between late summer 2027 and early 2028, and he said it could take longer. As of early October, no local report has named a replacement tenant, buyer or approved plan. Two more holiday seasons and most of a third could pass before anyone shops at 845 E. California Blvd. again.

So the useful question for anyone near South Lake isn't who is coming in. It's where the weekly shopping happens until someone does.

The full-service stores that remain

These addresses come from each grocer's own store page. Pasadena Now's reporting adds the nearest remaining Pavilions.

Trader Joe's is the only store on this list on South Lake Avenue. Vons is the store Albertsons pointed Lyon toward. Pasadena Now noted that the closest remaining Pavilions is across the city line in South Pasadena, on Fair Oaks.

What South Lake added this year

South Lake's 2026 openings fill different needs. They are places to eat and drink, plus one produce stop.

Dalah, at 851 Cordova St., was listed as open for lunch and dinner in the South Lake Avenue association's directory by late June. The association's July newsletter lists specials such as Hat Yai chicken wings, Moo Ghon, nam tok beef salad and garlic grilled short ribs. The Pasadena Star-News reviewed it on August 29.

Mehfil Co., at 82 S. Lake Ave., appears in the association's materials as Mehfil Cafe. The city describes it as Pasadena's newest chai shop, serving warm chai, iced teas and lattes. It was one of seven new food and drink businesses in Economic Development Director David A. Klug's August 18 update to the City Council's Economic Development and Technology Committee.

Two more restaurants are on the way, and neither is confirmed open yet. In its September newsletter, the association listed Aubergine Kitchen at 140 S. Lake Ave. as coming soon, with no date. Mike's Red Tacos, at 899 E. Del Mar Blvd., was described in a September 15 report as preparing to open, with October as the expected month.

Each of these helps with a weeknight dinner or a midafternoon break. None of them stocks milk, cleaning supplies or a week's groceries.

The Tuesday market is the closest walkable produce stop

The new opening that comes closest to the old Pavilions errand is the weekly farmers market at Pasarroyo, 225 S. Lake Ave. It started Tuesday, July 14, 2026, five days after the Pavilions closure was announced on July 9. The association's September newsletter lists fresh produce, food vendors, artisan and handmade goods, and health and wellness vendors.

Check the hours before you go. The July announcement said 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The newer September listing says 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. That works out to four weekday hours, one day a week. It suits people whose schedules allow a Tuesday midday stop, and it is a produce run, not a full grocery trip. For a fuller list without driving, the practical South Lake route this fall is Pasarroyo on Tuesday plus Trader Joe's down the street.

Dates to keep on the calendar

• Every Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Pasarroyo farmers market at 225 S. Lake Ave. You can call 626-792-5161 with questions.
• October 2026, expected. Mike's Red Tacos at 899 E. Del Mar Blvd., based on the mid-September forecast.
• Saturday, December 5, 2026, noon to 6 p.m. South Lake's Holidayfest, a free district-wide event with shopping, dining, music and a raffle you enter with receipts.
• Late 2027 at the earliest. The window Lyon's estimate suggests for a new tenant at 845 E. California Blvd., assuming no delays.

A grocery anchor sitting empty for a year or more is the kind of change that shows up in how a block works day to day. If you live near South Lake and want to talk through what a long vacancy at 845 E. California Blvd. could mean for your property or your plans, I'm glad to share what I'm seeing and keep you posted as a tenant is announced. Let's Connect with Ed Dorini.