This large health food and grocery store in Fresno has closed. Here’s what we know
Lassens Natural Foods & Vitamins in north Fresno has closed.
The store opened in 2011 at Friant and Fort Washington roads, in the RiverView shopping center, between Starving Artists Bistro and Fort Blossom Cafe Bar & Grill.
The Southern California-based company has 11 stores now, mostly in the Los Angeles area.
The Fresno store was one of the largest health food stores in town, selling groceries, vitamins, kombucha and food for special diets like vegan and gluten free. It had a prepared foods section serving smoothies and sandwiches, along with a bakery case that was still stocked with cakes earlier this week.
The shelves were mostly fully stocked too.
Assistant general manager of the company, Michael Johnson, said he didn’t want to go into specifics about why the store closed, but said it wasn’t a lease issue.
“The same reason that any business closes, it’s not sustainable,” he said.
He noted that the store lasted nine years.
“We did give it a good go, we just couldn’t keep it going,” he said.
A sign in the window reads: “Lassens Fresno is officially closed. Thank you to the wonderful community of Fresno for welcoming and supporting us for the last 9 years. We look forward to serving you at our other locations Wishing you and yours health and happiness.”
The next closest stores are in Bakersfield, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo.
Some customers were mourning the Fresno store on social media.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 2:59 PM.
