Tulare's new Save Mart location will be ready in 2027 at the Sequoia Marketplace shopping center in Tulare. Save Mart photo

The Save Mart Companies hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 17, to celebrate the start of construction on its latest Central Valley store, a 52,000-square-foot Save Mart store in Tulare.

Located at the new Sequoia Marketplace shopping center, the Save Mart — a first for Tulare — is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2027. The anchor retailer aims to bring a modern shopping experience to the community, including full-service departments, locally-sourced products and same-day grocery delivery.

It joind seven other Save Mart locations in Tulare County — four in Visalia and one each in Lindsay, Exeter and Porterville.

“We’re excited to bring a modern shopping experience to Tulare that reflects what our customers have told us they value most — fresh, local products, great service, and a store that feels like part of the community,” said Jim Perkins, president of The Save Mart Companies.

The groundbreaking ceremony featured a number of representatives from The Save Mart Companies, including Perkins, Construction Director Adam Smith and Director of Real Estate Tony Lee, Sr. Additionally, Tulare city councilmembers were present, as well as representatives from the office of Sen. Shannon Grove. The ceremony also featured a performance by the Tulare Union High School Band.

 

“The City of Tulare is thrilled to have Save Mart coming to our community as the anchor tenant in the new Sequoia Marketplace shopping center,” said Marc Mondell, Tulare city manager. “There has been much anticipation and excitement amongst our residents in having a new ‘state of the art’ Save Mart grocery store, and the City is grateful to The Save Mart Companies and all of those that have worked so hard to make this project a reality.”

The new store will be located at the northwest corner of Bardsley Avenue and Mooney Boulevard, behind the Jack in the Box.

The Sequoia Marketplace development was established with the specific goal of bringing a big-name grocery retailer to Tulare, according to a 2023 story at ourvalleyvoice.com. Developer Greg Nunley, a former Tulare City Council member, is behind the project.

The Save Mart Companies has changed hands twice in the last two years, first to private-equity firm Kingswood Capital in 2022, and again to Canada’s Jim Pattison Group in 2024.

The Save Mart Companies is based in Modesto and operates nearly 200 stores throughout California and Western Nevada, and also operates 11 Roth’s and Chuck’s Fresh Markets in Oregon and Washington.