FOLSOM — A long-awaited milestone for residents south of Highway 50 is finally becoming reality, a grocery store. Safeway is going to become to official first major grocery store to open in Folsom Ranch.
Project developer Hunter Partners has announced that the national grocery chain will anchor the new Alder Creek Marketplace, marking the largest retail addition to date in the rapidly growing Folsom Ranch development. Construction on the retail center is expected to begin as early as next week, according to Josh Rupert, senior director of development for Cupertino-based Hunter Partners.
The 55,000-square-foot Safeway will include both a full-service grocery store and a fuel station, giving thousands of new residents in the southern portion of the city their first neighborhood supermarket. The addition marks a significant milestone for the growing community, providing a much-anticipated retail amenity for the thousands of homes that now populate the area.
Alder Creek Marketplace will sit at the southwest corner of Alder Creek Parkway and East Bidwell Street, spanning more than 12 acres with 95,000 square feet of commercial space. With Safeway’s lease now secured, more than 80% of the center is either leased or in active negotiations, the developer said. Such strong pre-leasing is rare for a project of this size, underscoring the demand and growth momentum within Folsom Ranch.
In addition to Safeway, the development has already secured leases from several other tenants, including Paris Baguette, the French-inspired bakery café; Next Health, a high-end wellness chain offering services such as IV therapy and cryotherapy; and a second location for a popular local nail salon already operating in nearby Shops at Folsom Ranch.
Hunter Partners, which also developed The Shops at Folsom Ranch — recognized among the region’s Best Real Estate Projects of 2024 — is designing Alder Creek Marketplace to complement its neighboring retail hub just west of the site. Developers say the goal is to create a well-balanced mix of retail, dining, and wellness establishments that meet the needs of both residents and visitors.
DesCor Builders will serve as general contractor, with LPAS Architecture + Design leading the architectural planning. If the project proceeds as scheduled, visible progress could come by early 2026, with the first businesses opening in the first half of 2027.
For residents who have watched Folsom Ranch transform from open fields into one of the region’s fastest-growing communities, the announcement marks another major step in its evolution — and a long-awaited sign that full-scale retail amenities are finally arriving.
The Safeway development adds to a growing list of businesses now serving the Folsom Ranch area. The nearby Shops at Folsom Ranch recently reached full occupancy with the opening of a Golden 1 Credit Union branch, joining Slice House, Bento Box, Starbucks, The Habit Burger Grill, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Chevron, Nail Resort, and a veterinary hospital.
The commercial growth also includes new medical facilities, including the recently opened UC Davis Health Center and the future Dignity Health facility that is now under construction.
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