Mark your calendars for Thursday, Dec. 12 as two new stores are opening for Inland Empire shoppers.
First up is Amazon Fresh, which is bringing its Whole Foods-light concept to the Bedford Marketplace in Corona.
It’s the 21st store for the grocery store chain, which launched in Southern California in 2020 in Woodland Hills.
The concept is a lot like a stripped down Whole Foods, with the usual produce, meats and seafood, dairy items and pantry goods filling the aisles.
Where Amazon Fresh differs is in its technology, as one can expect from the e-commerce giant.
Amazon Prime members can have groceries delivered from the store or arrange for pickup onsite. Members can also opt to use Amazon One, a digital payment system using a palm print inside the store.
Those familiar with the Fresh layout will find Dash Carts at the ready. The cart come equipped with cameras so shoppers can scan their items as they place them inside the basket. The carts come with sensors to weigh produce as well.
Shoppers who use an Amazon store code can check out in the Dash Cart lane. Those who opt not to sign in to Amazon can head to the traditional checkout lane.
The 35,000-square-foot store at 3941 Bedford Canyon Road will be open from 8 am to 10 pm daily.
Second Home Depot coming to Murrieta
Home Depot is opening its second store in Murrieta on Dec. 12.
The DIY store at 27738 Clinton Keith Road will have 175 associates when fully staffed. The company said it’s still hiring. Applicants can find information and apply at careers.homedepot.com.
The new store will come with all the usual components of a Home Depot, including
— 106,000 square feet inside
— 28,000 square feet outside at the garden center
— Showrooms with merchandise and displays (think kitchens, bathrooms)
— Full tool rental center with 275 items, including large equipment
— Storage areas for Buy Online Pickup orders
The city’s other Home Depot is at 25100 Madison Ave.
New training center for SCE staff
Southern California Edison broke ground last week in Corona on the Edison Training Academy, a “living laboratory” that will feature real-world experiences using electrical equipment, advanced technologies and augmented reality.
As demand rises for electricity across the state, the utility is looking to better prepare its team with modern-day skills to build and operate a future grid.
We asked SCE to provide us with more details on the facility. Answers have been edited for length.
How big will it be?
Phase 1 of the project, the Annex Building, will be 15,000 square feet. The entire project will likely be 200,000 square feet.
How many trainees will it accommodate?
We anticipate training several hundred SCE staff each year.
Can SCE tell us about the need it sees for skilled workers in the near future?
As the grid evolves, we need to train the workforce to maintain complex systems such as microgrids, energy storage, etc., along with the tasks involved in modernizing the grid so it is ready for the changing ways customers use power.
Electrification of transportation and buildings, along with mass adoption of distributed energy resources such as solar and batteries, will make electricity demand more variable. Customers are already both drawing power from and sending power to the grid.
When will the facility be ready?
This new facility will be built in multiple phases, with programs launching in 2026 and the entire complex being completed by 2029.
Business park sells for $19M in Riverside
Summit Business Center, a 138,697-square-foot business park in Riverside, sold recently to Dunbar Real Estate Investment Management for roughly $19 million.
Located at 2002-2038 Iowa Avenue, the five-building complex was built out with mostly office space with 11 roll-up doors.
Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, CIP Real Estate.
“Demand remains very strong for these types of multi-tenant low-coverage business park assets in Southern California and markets across the country, primarily due to their consistent tenant demand and rent growth resilience and the cost prohibitive nature of developing new supply,” said Jeffrey Cole at Cushman.
Supercharging station opens near Grapevine
Holiday motorists driving EVs over the Grapevine now have another option to charge up.
The Lebec Travel Center opened recently off the 5 freeway, north of Los Angeles. It features 40 charging stations, with another 72 coming by late 2025. The fueling center eventually will include traditional gas pumps, marrying two options for motorists into a modern-day filling station.
Developed by HRI Development in Pasadena, the travel center at the freeway intersection with Frazier Mountain Park Road will include a 7-Eleven convenience store, lounge and hospitality features for motorists.
“EV drivers deserve a great customer experience with full amenities and a lounge, and we believe traditional refueling and EV recharging should co-exist for a holistic fueling experience,” said Hamo Rostamian, president of HRI Development. “Our vision is to bring all types of mobility into a comfortable, welcoming location that transforms the experience for everyone.”
The fueling station will have options for traditional vehicles as well. In the meantime, a more upscale portable bathroom option is in place.
Address: 51526 Ralphs Ranch Road, Lebec 93243. The company notes the station also shows up in the Tesla app.
The business briefs are compiled and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items to sgowen@scng.com . High-resolution images can also be submitted. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
