Fresh & Easy Closing? Napa Shoppers React

We reported Wednesday that Fresh & Easy, owned by Britain's Tesco, is planning to pull out of the U.S. market in 2013. 

When I posted this news on the Napa Valley Patch Facebook page, the comments came pouring in both for and against the supermarket, which opened its Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in early 2011 at the former south Napa Vallerga's in the River Park Shopping Center on Imola Avenue:

• F&E not a surprise. Sad. - Leslie Hyde 
• I heart F&E. - Niki Rabe 
• Fresh and not so easy. - Michael Diehl 
• I'm not surprised regarding Fresh and Easy. There's been rumors of closure almost from the moment the doors opened. - Matthew Young 
• Now what will go in there new Roller Rink or another wine store? - Ron Digem Riley 
• What?! That's my favorite store! They have great deals!! - Barbara Vazquez 
• No!!!!! I love this store. - Autumn Jeffcoat 
• That's a shame! - Desi Capaz 
• I'd love for there to be a Starbucks in River Park. Starbucks should really look into this location as those of us in the south part of town are forced to drive over a mile to get our coffee fix.- Matthew Young 
• Not surprising about Fresh and Easy, there is hardly anyone in there. - Vanissa Struven 
• Fresh and Easy doesn't fit the Napa Valley. - Kathy Higgins 
• Sad I like fresh n easy - Leticia Duran 
• It would be nice to have a quality grocery store in River Park. F&E lost my business with the attitude of the employees and their check out situation. Also, not a huge fan of all the produce being pre-packaged in plastic. I shopped there until an incident recently when I was shopping with my teenage son and a rude employee wasn't going to sell me the six pack of beer that was in with the rest of my groceries because my son was standing at the checkout stand ... (see complete comment on our Facebook page) So I decided that instead of forcing my son to sit in the car while I grocery shop that I would take my business elsewhere- back to the parking lot nightmare of Bel Aire Plaza but at least I can shop in stores with pleasant employees and better merchandise. - Dale Martin 
• Probably will be gone and replaced with another Mexican grocery store..sad but true. - Michelle Foster 
• @michelle foster...actually Mexican stores are awsome....they have plenty of fresh veggies and fruits for a reasonable price...I believe that healthy eating will prevent one from lookin fifty when one is in their 30z. - Rebecca CaliLuv Lopez 
• be nice to have a barnes and noble book store. - Shawn Danner
• We do not need another Starbucks at south end of town there ate already 2 at south napa market place...would rather see a peet's and some sort of family style casual restaurant. - Lisa Haro 
• i agree. they have rude employees and whats so bad about having a real checker anymore? everything is self serve! - Sarah Wyant
• Lisa, I respectully disagree. You can never have too many Starbucks. Frankly I think it's about time for River Park to get one. - Matthew Young
• Good riddance to F&E's everywhere. - Paulette Zaouk 
• It would be nice to replace F&E with a nugget store. The Vacaville store is awesome. And yes matthew there is such a thing as too much star bucks. Why not caribou coffee, seattle's best a chain is fine...we have 8 already. - Lisa Haro 

For more wide-ranging comments from Napa Valley Patch readers, please see the original article.

Join the conversation! What do you think about the prospective Fresh & Easy closing? Do you have suggestions for new businesses at River Park? Tell us in the comments.

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