November 5, 2024 – Capitola fans of New Leaf Community Markets are getting an upgrade on Saturday when the store moves two blocks up 41st Avenue and opens in a former Lucky’s supermarket location at King’s Plaza Shopping Center.
The 24,000 square foot building is almost twice as large as the previous location and allows expanded sections for organic produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods and natural wellness products.
“I’m really proud of this store and the impact it’s going to have on the community,” New Leaf Group VP Forrest Gonsiewski said at a sneak peek for media, partners and friends, that included New Leaf founder Scott Roseman and shopping center owner/landlord George Ow.
Gonsiewski called the sparkling store “New Leaf 3.0” saying it was the largest one yet for the Santa Cruz-based chain.
“The natural foods business has come a long way in the past 30 to 40 years and there are a lot more products to fill the shelves than there have ever been,” he said, adding that the new store has 2,000 more SKUs than the previous one.
A Grand Opening celebration takes place Saturday, November 9 from 10am to 2pm and the public is invited to stop by and enjoy samples, games, giveaways and a raffle to win a $250 gift card.
The party will also include an in-store scavenger hunt for kids, with a free cookie for those who reach complete it.
Local businesses and New Leaf partners, such as Lakeside Organic Gardens, Carmel Berry Company and Martinelli’s, will be on hand with interactive stations, and nonprofit Envirotoken beneficiaries will be on hand to talk about their work. Reusable tote bags will be available while supplies last.
At the entrance to the new store, shoppers will find an expanded organic produce section, flanked to the left by a large wellness department and to the right by a stand alone coffee and juice bar.
Other features shoppers are sure to notice are an expanded prepared food section, a bakery with made-to-order cakes, a new liquor section, a poke bar and take out BBQ, with an in-house smoker.
“When people walk in we want to lead with produce, front and center, and with wellness products, because that’s what our customers say they come here for,” says Gonsiewski.
The coffee and juice bar will introduce reusable glass bottles that can be returned to the store to be sanitized and used again. The store also features an expanded bulk foods section.
“We are excited to better serve our Capitola community with a new, bigger store and with generally more to offer, our positive impact in this neighborhood will grow.” he added. “I live in the Capitola community. My wife and I have raised our kids here, and I’m excited for our shared future here as well.”
Ten percent of New Leaf’s after tax profits are donated to local nonprofits and customers who bring their own bags can participated in the Envirotoken program, choosing which of six community groups will get the 10 cent bag fee. Currently, though spring 2025, the nonprofit partners Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County, Grey Bears, Homeless Garden Project, Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, Santa Cruz SPCA, and Teen Kitchen Project.
To celebrate its newest store, New Leaf and Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery of Corralitos will introduce a new Pinot Noir collaboration called The Village—the name and label artwork are a nod to historic Capitola Village just two miles from the store.
The same team that worked at the Begonia Plaza location will move over to the new store along with staff from the recently-closed downtown Santa Cruz location, in addition there will be new self-service checkout lanes as well as fully-staffed registers.
A new downtown Santa Cruz store on River Street is next up for New Leaf and expected to open in 2026.
New Leaf Community Market | 1475 41st Ave. Capitola | newleaf.com
About the author
Deborah Luhrman is publisher and editor of Edible Monterey Bay. A lifelong journalist, she has reported from around the globe, but now prefers covering our flourishing local food scene and growing her own vegetables in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
