El Super’s June 2025 opening of its second Fresno location at Manchester Center marks an important step to penetrate the regional market dominated by Vallarta Supermarkets. Located in the former Sears building on North Blackstone Avenue, the 53,000 ft² store features culturally relevant elements, value, and community engagement directly countering Vallarta’s established Fresno stores on West Clinton Avenue and North Cedar Avenue.
From job fairs to grand opening: Opening the New El Super
In the spring of 2025, Chedraui-owned El Super, which operates statewide under three brands, held virtual and in-person job fairs to staff 140 positions, from bakers to meat cutters. The company’s main hiring events were held at local Smart & Final Extra! (2425 Blackstone Ave.), and hundreds of bilingual candidates came out hoping to serve Fresno’s predominately Hispanic population.
The store officially opened its doors for business on June 25, 2025, at 3636 N. Blackstone Ave., redeveloping the long-sitting Sears anchor location as El Super’s 70th U.S. store and second Fresno store. Live mariachi music, product sampling, and bright décor with Spanish signage filled the grand opening, emphasizing the chain’s focus on Latino culture and customer experience.
Location and layout: Manchester center’s new grocery anchor
– Location: 3636 N. Blackstone Ave., Fresno, CA 93726
– Former Sears footprint: 53,000 square feet of subdivided anchor space in Manchester Center (previously 216,000 ft²)
– Hours: 7 AM – 11 PM every day
When shoppers enter, they are met with wide aisles full of Latin American staples—fresh tortillas, pan dulce, paletas—and low-cost produce, meat, seafood, and canned products. A designated “El Super Cocina” area features ready-to-eat Mexican foods like burritos and carnitas, further enhancing convenience for workers and families.
Community impact: Affordability, culture, and opportunity
El Super’s management focuses on keeping things affordable as a core value. Garalan Cushinberry, who is a local resident, complemented the prices on staples—melons at their respective times and bags of onions—by households facing inflationary pressures. The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation complemented the chain’s investment in job creation and culturally familiar shopping environments, considering that more than 50% of residents of Fresno are either Hispanic or Latin in origin.
Beyond retail, El Super’s arrival has catalyzed Manchester Center’s rehabilitation, with Ross and dd’s Discounts already open in adjacent retailing space. The new store will drive traffic that benefits the surrounding small businesses and continues to revitalize Central Fresno’s economic profile.
With El Super’s splashy entry and Vallarta’s entrenched base, Fresno’s Hispanic supermarket market will be facing more intense competition. Customers have much to benefit from increased price competition, more diverse product lines, and richer cultural offerings. The next several months should reveal which chain draws bigger market share, El Super by converting new Manchester Center customers or Vallarta by fortifying its Clinton and Cedar Avenue strongholds.
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