As we reported earlier this year Montecito Vons is scheduled to be remodeled this fall and will remain open during construction. Reader Darvin tells me the reason behind the remodel: it is being rebranded as Pavilions. Pavilions is a grocery store banner used by Vons, a supermarket division of Albertsons. Although similar to Vons stores, Pavilions markets are more upscale and feature a larger selection of organic food, wine, and other specialty foods. Vons shares the popular Signature brand with Pavilions.
This leaves just two local Vons stores: 2010 Cliff Drive and 163 South Turnpike Road in Goleta. Vons at 3855 State Street closed in September 2018, Vons at 850 Linden Avenue in Carpinteria closed in June 2015, Vons at 165 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta closed in April 2015, and Vons at 34 West Victoria Street closed in August 2009.
Vons opened at 1040 Coast Village Road in Montecito in 1968 after the company bought land from a local family that used the funds from the sale to turn the rest of the property into what is now known as Montecito Country Mart. Montecito Vons is the only grocery store that The Restaurant Guy has a memory of growing up as we moved nearby a few months after its grand opening.
You didn’t shop at Isia Brothers in the Upper Village? Great meat counter.
Family moved to Montecito in ’72. Work at Von’s and parked in the dirt lot. Where Starbucks is now.
Will always be Von’s. Country Mart is pretentious.
Oh yeah, I forgot about Isaia’s! We went there from time to time but usually to Vons.
For 50 years Vons did little to nothing to improve this store all the while sucking money from people while shopping in a dirty and disgusting environment. Imagine what the back of the house looks like. Vons isn’t customer oriented and hence why their stores are closing. Several of the cashiers are rude like the woman with dark hair that is full figured. She is incredibly unfriendly and should be let go. How they treated this community with the lack of cleanliness and modernizations is disrespectful and many of us have moved on to Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres and Gelsons.
Sprouts on Milpas as well as Trader Joe’s are less than 2 miles from the Montecito Vons. Either one is a better choice.
The “country mart” nonsense is from carpetbaggers from down south-la /palisades trust funder areas. Same folks in Brentwood “country mart” “malibu “country mart”-franchise.