Grand Opening of Stater Bros draws huge crowd in Menifee

Stater Bros executives and city dignitaries participate in the ribbon cutting of the new Stater Bros supermarket. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

Menifee residents hungry for more supermarket shopping options east of the 215 Freeway feasted on one of the city's biggest Grand Openings ever Wednesday morning.

A crowd estimated at 500 filled the parking lot in front of the new Stater Bros supermarket at the corner of Newport Road and Menifee Road, joining city and corporate officials in celebrating the first market east of Antelope Road. After introductions, comments by executives and Stater Bros presentations of donations to six local service organizations, the ribbon was cut and guests rushed into the store.

Some of the amenities of the 45,000-square-foot supermarket are:

-- Full service fresh meat department
-- Full service fresh seafood department
-- FujiSan handcrafted Sushi made in-house daily
-- Full service deli
-- Full service hot bakery
-- Cafe and seating area with USB charging outlets and access to free Wi-Fi
-- Floral department
-- Garden fresh produce department
-- Two large murals outside the story honoring the military, with mosaic tiles made by local school children.

"This is the flagship of the three Stater Bros markets we now have in Menifee," Mayor Neil Winter (right) told the guests during the ceremony. "What's great about this is that there's so many great employment opportunities in the city, and this is adding over 100 new jobs for us here.

"What I'm most impressed about is the culture of Stater Bros. Touring the store, I was very impressed. Walking outside the store, you see the mosaic tiles. When you go inside, you'll see the Menifee logo. You'll see that they support the community. It's not just about opening a business. It's about coming to Menifee and being a partner here."

Menifee City council member Lesa Sobek, who represents the district in which the market is located, also addressed the crowd.

"This just shows the commitment our Menifee family has," Sobek (left) said. "We are so happy to have this superb corporation, Stater Bros, in District 3, so we can have this kind of market on this side of the freeway. The city is proud to welcome a company that is here to be a city partner -- a business that truly gives back and gives so much to the community."

The Stater Bros commitment to the community was evident in thousands of dollars of donations presented during the ceremony to the following local service organizations:

-- Menifee Valley Community Cupboard
-- Assistance League of Temecula Valley
-- Neighborhood Healthcare Center
-- Riverside County Sheriff's Department Community Services Fund
-- Friends of the Sun City Library
-- VFW Post 1956

Stater Bros was founded in 1936 by brothers Cleo and Leo Stater, who were military veterans and remained committed to patriotic values, as stated by Pete Van Helden, president and CEO of Stater Bros.

"We have been a part of this great community since 1979, and I can't tell you how thrilled we are to expand our presence in this Purple Heart City," Van Helden (left) said. "Our heart goes out to the brave men and women who have courageously fought or who are currently fighting to secure, defend and preserve the values of our great country."

Once the doors were opened, a steady stream of guests filed through the store, checking out the amenities and making the store's first purchases. Additional businesses in the new Shoppes at The Lakes center will soon include a CVS pharmacy, drive-through Starbucks and more.

Thunder, the Lake Elsinore Storm baseball team's mascot, helps at the checkout stand.

Menifee 24/7 will have video highlights of the Grand Opening event and a look inside the store during our weekly news broadcast on Sunday. Meanwhile, click here for a teaser of what is to come: