MAC Approves Application for Lake Chabot Marketplace at Former Lil' Grocer Site

During Monday's Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting, council members unanimously voted to allow the remodel of a

Parts of the discussion focused on the expected improvements and the timeline of completion for Lake Chabot Marketplace. Applicant Hans Cho said the space would not only include a grocery store and deli, but also a hot-food kitchen, coffee vendor, bakery and floral kiosk.

The site, which was the former Lil' Grocer, has sat vacant for years.

"There's so much expectations on that property and hopefully we'll be able to please everyone," he said.

Cho said various improvements can begin once permits are approved. Aside from opening, another priority of his is to demolish an uninhabitable former drugstore adjacent to the market and replace the space with landscaping. Cho also expressed interest in expanding the back lot of the market for extra parking.

To compete against the larger chain grocery stores, Cho told the MAC that the community's desire for a close-knit community market and his family's hard work in providing quality products and services will hopefully be enough to keep them in business.

"We're not a Safeway, we're not a Trader Joe's, but we do have strong work ethic," Hans told the MAC. "We want to make sure we do our best."

Cho's parents have owned and operated in San Leandro for more than 30 years. The wholesale meat distributor is known for providing high-quality meats for Korean BBQ restaurants across the Bay Area, according to Cho.

He told Patch that he and his family decided to expand into retail when they came across the parcel at a good price. The Castro Valley Forum first reported on , two months after Cho purchased the property.

After making a few clarifications on the application, the MAC voted in favor of passing it.

"The community is very pleased with your project," MAC member Dean Nielsen told Cho.