Springs gets its biggest Hispanic grocery store

Rancho Liborio, the biggest Hispanic grocery store to arrive in Colorado Springs, opened quietly at 1660 S. Circle Drive in March.

Low prices were the main attraction for Francisca Becerra, who dropped by the store during a recent afternoon and picked up bread and fabric-softener sheets.

She said she buys few Mexican products at Rancho Liborio, but she might if the prices were better than other markets.

Shoppers Angela Almendares and Angel Ortega had several bags full of traditional Mexican foods such as yucca, cilantro, melon and tortillas. Price was an important consideration.

"It's cheaper than the competition," Almendares said.

Wal-Mart also has a wide selection of Mexican items, she said, but sometimes its prices are higher.

"The grand opening will be May 18," said Dan Solomon, store manager. "We will be having a huge party in the parking lot with lots of store specials."

The 110,000-squarefoot store, formerly a Cub Foods and later Grocery Warehouse, is a California-based operation. The store got its start in 1966 as a 1,200-squarefoot Los Angeles market. There are five stores in California, one in Las Vegas, and, now with the Colorado Springs store, there are three in Colorado.

"We have plans to open six stores more in Colorado by the end of the year," Solomon said.

In the 70,000 square feet devoted to groceries, shoppers can find more than 30,000 Latino products interspersed with products you'd commonly find at King Soopers or Safeway.

"Our goal is to be a store where everyone can shop," Solomon said.

But there's no doubt the store caters to Hispanic and Spanishspeaking people in particular, an approach evident from its sign on the front of the building carrying the tagline "Su Mercado," or "Your Market."

Products throughout the store also have packaging with Spanish-language descriptions, and many employees speak Spanish.

The store is tapping a consumer demographic that's grown rapidly in recent years, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

In Colorado Springs, an estimated 30,291 people age 5 and older speak Spanish at home. That's 8 percent of the city's population, up from 6 percent in 2000.

Hispanics made up 14 percent of Colorado Springs in 2006, up from 12 percent at the beginning of the decade, the Census Bureau reports.

While it's good news for shoppers, it's also good news for the local economy.

"For the city of Colorado Springs the combined effect of direct, indirect and induced sales could mean as much as $250,000 in revenue from taxes," said Fred Crowley, senior economist for the Southern Colorado Economic Forum. "There could be as much as 240 jobs for people who in turn will be spending their money in the community."

Not only might the economy of the city get a boost from the new store, but it could help turn around a struggling neighborhood.

"For several years, that has been an area where the city had no long-range plans for improving the area," said Jose Barrera, a consultant in Southwest culture and history. "Secondly, everyone will be able to find something they like at such markets, especially in the produce area. They typically have more varied produce, and it's fresher. Displays are more colorful and interesting."

Also, as some shoppers have already discovered, the prices are competitive. For instance, a typical week's specials included 2 pounds of red bell peppers for less than a dollar, compared with $1.69 each at Safeway. Or tomatoes for 77 cents a pound compared with $2.99 at Safeway.

The new store features three gas barbecue grills in its cocina (kitchen).

"We're the first store to have the grills," Solomon said. "We'll be selling pollo ricco, a type of barbecued chicken, and roasted chickens," Solomon said.

On a recent afternoon, the grilled chickens were on sale for $4.77.

The store's panaderia (bakery) boasts a huge collection of pastries and breads baked daily.

"We have more than 76 types of pastries and breads here," Solomon said.

Looking for something sweet? Stop by the Aguas Frescas section and order a fresh fruit drink.

Next to the panaderia there's a tortilleria cranking out fresh tortillas.

In the meat area you won't spot thick T-bone steaks.

Latinos cook with thinner cuts, so the meat is stacked like crepes, separated by pink paper.

Gazette reporter Perry Swanson contributed to this report