Clovis Save Mart closing; national retailer moving in

The Save Mart at Bullard and Minnewawa avenues in Clovis will close and will be replaced with a national retailer.

The shopping center's property manager declined to say who would take over the space, but said a portion of the business will sell groceries.

The Save Mart store, which at 27,885 square feet is smaller than many other Save Mart stores, opened in 1978. It will close Nov. 10, due to the landlord's decision not to renew the lease, according to a statement by Save Mart.

Save Mart was on a month-to-month lease since 2008, after its previous lease expired, said Manco Abbott property manager Greg Bethke. The retailer and the landlord could not come to an agreement on a new long-term lease, but negotiations were not acrimonious, he said.

"We appreciate Save Mart as a tenant, but the landlord is looking forward for the viability of the center for the next 20 years ... and felt like the opportunity was there to sign a long-term lease with a national retailer," he said.

The center is owned by San Diego-based M.C. Strauss Co., which could not be reached for comment.

Save Mart is working with union representatives to help employees relocate to other area stores.

This story was originally published October 19, 2011 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Clovis Save Mart closing; national retailer moving in."