Supermarket Wars: Local Stores Are Upgrading

Three of the major supermarkets in Sherman Oaks are making changes as the competition for shoppers continues to heat up.

Here is the latest:

Ventura Blvd. was originally scheduled to shut down for a year in October while a new mega-market was constructed on the site. Now the store manager is saying the closure will not occur until "sometime in January."

That Ralphs market was the subject of a major dispute in the neighborhood between the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and the company over the size of the proposed market. The Los Angeles City Council eventually approved plans for the proposed mega-market.

About one mile west of Ralphs, the Pavilions market at 14845 Ventura Blvd. is also planning alterations.

Pavilions, which is planning a much larger building on the site, has posted a photograph of the proposed market on the front of the store. Pavilions' management is not saying when or if the store will be closed during construction. However, a manager on site, who asked that her name not be used because she is not authorized to speak for the company, told Sherman Oaks Patch, "The project will happen sometime next year."

Not to be outdone, Gelson's supermarket at has just completed what the store manager calls "a facelift." For the past week, scaffolding surrounded the entrance to Gelson's as the front was being remodeled.

"It's not a big change, just making the front of the store more beautiful," said the store manager.