Pavilions on California Boulevard to Close Tuesday, Days Ahead of Schedule

For shoppers making a final visit, there is little left to choose from (Photo – W.K.)

Pavilions at 845 E. California Blvd. in Pasadena will close Tuesday, Aug. 18, ahead of its previously announced schedule, as the store is nearly empty.

By Janine Tedros

The remaining merchandise is being cleared out Monday, Aug. 17, with the handful of items still on the shelves marked 90% off.

The closure marks the end of nearly five decades of Pavilions and Vons service in Pasadena. Pavilions store No. 2224 had previously been expected to remain open until Sept. 5, 2026.

Decades ago, the site was home to The Pantry. A 1975 photo shows construction of the Pavilions store shortly before The Pantry was demolished to make way for the supermarket (see below).

Albertsons Companies, which operates Pavilions through its Southern California division, previously sent an email to our newsroom stating that the California Boulevard store was closing because its lease was expiring. The company said it had carefully considered its options and regularly evaluates store performance and financial expectations.

The store has long served nearby residents, students and businesses, including the surrounding Caltech community.

Employees affected by the closure will be assigned to nearby Vons and Pavilions locations, including stores in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Eagle Rock and Burbank.

Many nearby residents are hoping a new grocery store will open at the site soon. Despite calls from some local politicians for action, filling vacant locations has proved difficult. A perfect example is the empty storefront of the former Burger Continental. The commercial property across the street, formerly home to CVS, and before that, Fresh & Easy and Wild Oats, has also remained vacant for years. CVS left the location shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic.

For shoppers making a final visit Monday, there is little left to choose from. The remaining merchandise is being sold at 90% off as the longtime California Boulevard supermarket prepares to close its doors Tuesday at noon.

Photo from 1975 during the construction of Pavilions, just before the demolition of the Pantry (Photo courtesy of Kimberly Glidden)