Andronico’s representatives announced this week that the Danville store on Railroad Avenue has been sold to Lunardi’s, another upscale family-owned market.
Store directors confirmed Andronico’s will close tomorrow, Sept. 16, and reopen Tuesday to allow time for the new market to set up. Some changes in products and store layout will occur, but nearly all 80 union employees will remain the same.
The markets are both Bay Area franchises committed to high quality food. Like Andronico’s, Lunardi’s offers free range, hormone-free meat and a large collection of cheeses from around the world. It will also have specialty sections including a bakery, wine, deli, seafood and produce.
One patron shopping at Andronico’s this week boiled the stores’ similarities down to a few words.
“They’re both yuppie marts,” said Jeff McMaster, who visits the Danville Andronico’s for tamales on his lunch break.
Another patron said she looked forward to Lunardi’s coming in next week because the food is less expensive. She added that the personnel are warm and helpful in the Walnut Creek store.
“Lunardi’s is just a better store. It will definitely bring in more revenue to Danville,” said Wendy Shmitz of Alamo. Although she frequents the Alamo Safeway, she said she will switch to Lunardi’s now that it’s in Danville.
Other patrons said they go to Andronico’s for specialty meats and wines and will miss the market being in Danville. Many, however, admitted to rarely using the store for all of their grocery shopping.
This will be the eighth Bay Area location for Lunardi’s, which was founded in the 1950s by Italian immigrant Alfredo Lunardi. The store’s mission is to maintain the best quality of food and the friendliest service. Other locations include San Jose and the Peninsula.
Owners Bill Andronico and Paul Lunardi could not be reached by press time to comment on the store’s sale.
