Cardenas brings ‘next generation’ market to Monument Blvd. in Concord

Cardenas Markets celebrated the opening of its 58th store with a Mariachi band and ribbon cutting Aug. 28 in Concord.

The store, the 4th in California, is at the former Safeway site at 2250 Monument Blvd. The enormous facility features 42,000 sq. ft. as part of the chain’s “next generation” concept, which offers a more contemporary shopping experience than its older markets. The Monument store will also focus on plant-based eating.

Concord City Councilman Edi Birsan said he expects Cardenas to be a big boost for the Monument area, “dragging all those people from Walnut Creek and Martinez and turning them loose to shop in the Monument.”

The new store hopes to draw customers from across all demographics with good music, friendly customer service and food from national brands as well as authentic Mexican and Hispanic food.

The first Cardenas Market opened in Ontario, Canada, in 1981. Jesus Cardenas left Jalisco, Mexico, as a teenager and worked at farms in the United States before owning a hog farm in the ’70s.

To celebrate the opening of the new store, Cardenas donated $15,000 to the Contra Costa Solano Food Bank and $5,000 each for scholarships at Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio and Concord high schools.
Cardenas’ team is currently 100 strong, and the store is continuing to hire.