From a small Main Street store, to big box retailers, grocery shoppers in Grand Junction have a wide variety of options to choose from, spread out all over the valley.
Having said that, there are basically three main players in the GJ grocery scene: City Market, Safeway, and Walmart.
All total, there are 12 grocery stores in Grand Junction, or roughly about 1 for every 9,000 people in Grand Junction (this includes Clifton, Orchard Mesa, Fruitvale and the Redlands, but not Fruita nor Palisade).
Here we’re talking about your traditional, all-encompassing large grocery stores. In addition to these twelve, there are some speciality food stores which we address further below.
(Below is the map showing you all twelve of the grocery stores in the Grand Junction area.)
Here’s a look at the main grocery stores in the area.
City Market
City Market is the granddaddy of grocery stores in Grand Junction, with several locations throughout the Grand Valley, including a grocery store in Fruita.
In the Grand Junction/Clifton areas, there are 4 City Market Locations:
- Downtown/North Grand Junction: 2600 N. 12th Street
- West Grand Junction: 630 24 Road
- Orchard Mesa: 2770 US Hwy 50
- Clifton/East Grand Junction: 569 32 Road
The largest, newest City Market store is the one on 12th Street, (close to Colorado Mesa University), and was built in 2016. The large store at 630 24 Road, is right across the street from the Mesa Mall, and opened in 2012.
The stores on Orchard Mesa and in Clifton were built in the 70’s and 80’s and can sometimes show their age, although I’ve always found the Orchard Mesa City Market to be clean and modern inside.
The Clifton City Market is located in the Coronado Plaza shopping center. With the closing of the Albertson’s grocery store in 2016 (I believe), it became the only grocery store in Clifton.
Either way, these four City Markets in Grand Junction have your typical offerings, including a deli, bakery, and pharmacy. Each of the four also has a gas station, or “City Market Fuel Center” as they call them.
All four locations are open daily from 6 AM to 11 PM, except for the 24 Road store, which closes at 10 PM.
Other
City Market was founded by the Prinster family back in 1924. A statue of the Prinster brothers sits across from the Mesa County Justice Center on Main Street.
This grocery chain is now part of the Kroger family, so anyone with a value card from the Kroger chains can use their card here.
Two previous stores on 1st Street (one at 1st and Main and the other at 1st and Orchard), have since closed.
Safeway
Safeway and City Market battle it out with Walmart for local grocery supremacy, with Safeway holding its own with its three locations in Grand Junction, including the only one on the Redlands.
Safeway’s three locations in Grand Junction, include one near the center of town on Patterson Road, one in the north area, and the aforementioned Broadway location one as you go to the Redlands. There are listed as follows:
- North: 681 Horizon Drive
- City: 2901 F Road (also called Patterson Road)
- Redlands: 2512 Broadway
The north location is across from a beautiful new Church of the Latter Day Saints temple. This is the closest grocery store off of I-70 and seems always busy, (the photo below notwithstanding). I’m here almost every day. The gentleman in the produce section is particularly friendly. The pharmacy employees aren’t always the friendliest, but maybe that’s because they’re dealing with sick people every day, ha.
Open from 6 AM to 10 PM, Safeway provides a full-service grocery experience with an in-house bakery, butcher, and a selection of organic and specialty foods. (The Patterson store is open until 11 PM).
The Horizon Drive and Patterson Road Safeways have gas stations. The Redlands location does not, as it is tucked into a strip mall off of Broadway, as you head towards the Redlands. It was previously an Albertson’s Store before the Safeway/Albertson’s merger.
Walmart Supercenter
There are two super Walmarts that bookcase opposite ends of town.
These are called,Walmart Supercenters, with one on the west side of Grand Junction at 2545 Rimrock Avenue, while the other sits on the eastern end, at 2882 North Avenue.
Both are open from 6 AM to 11 PM. These two massive stores have full grocery stores, with pharmacies, in addition to the usual Walmart shelves full of clothes, tools, household items, electronics, toys, sporting goods, and just about anything else you would want.
Walmart Neighborhood Market
This is located on the I-70 Business Loop at 541 Warrior Way.
Unlike a regular Walmart, the Neighborhood Markets are almost entirely groceries only. They do have a pharmacy however. This store is reportedly about ¼ the size of a regular Walmart.
This store is clean and easy to navigate. In the past going here during a weekday lunch hour would find you surrounded by high school students, however a few years ago, the store banned students from Central High School across the street from visiting the store during school hours.
Sam’s Club
Located at 1040 Independent Avenue, the massive Sam’s Club warehouse caters to bulk shoppers looking for wholesale prices on groceries and other essentials. Saturdays there are packed, with people like me hopping in for staples and free samples.
As with other club stores, you must have a Sam’s Club membership in order to shop here.
Sprouts Farmers Market
For those looking for organic and natural food options, Sprouts Farmers Market at 1450 W. Independent Avenue is a pretty popular.
My wife does most of our shopping, and she has found the fruit there to often be much cheaper than the deals at Safeway and City Market.
Open daily from 7 AM to 10 PM, Sprouts specializes in fresh produce, bulk foods, and natural products.
Other Grocery Stores in the Grand Junction Area
Natural Grocers
A more upscale Sprouts, this is the go-to option for Grand Junction residents looking for all natural foods, organic fresh produce, dairy, and other healthy alternatives to what you find at the Walmarts of the world.
While the quality is higher, the prices are as well (in my experience). They sell pet food and products and some environmentally-friendly household products as well.
The front of the store features numerous aisles of vitamins, supplements, oils and the like.
The Natural Grocers Grand Junction location is located at 2464 Highway US-6 in the Grand Mesa Shopping Center, near the Mesa Mall.
The Hog and the Hen
Also not included in the twelve Grand Junction area grocery stores, the Hog and he Hen is, nonetheless, a fun little grocery shop on Main Street (510 Main to be exact) in the heart of Grand Junction.
The opposite of a super store, this boutique deli has a charming selection of locally made products, including jams, hot sauces, meats, and Palisade wine. Their liquor selection also includes Colorado distilled whiskey and microbeers.
In addition to fresh sandwiches and salads, the deli offers charcuterie boards. The candy selection here is huge, with bins you can use to scoop up your desired amount of candy, (like cinnabon bears).
Fisher’s Market
Right across from the mall, and attached to its namesake, popular liquor store, Fisher’s Market is Grand Junction’s upscale grocery option.
They feature premium meats, seafood and gourmet items, as well as spices, snacks, baked goods and desserts.
Orchard Mesa Market
Also not included in the list of 12 is this smaller market for premium meats and Asian specialities at the corner of 29 Road and Highway 6 on Orchard Mesa. They also do game processing and sell fresh fruits and vegetables.
Other
While the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports indicate they have acquired land on 24 Road, (near the I-70 exit), Costco has yet to announce plans to build a store here in the Grand Valley. We anxiously await their arrival!
(Below is an image of the City Market on 12th Street and Patterson)
(By Steve Beauregard. Photos copyright GJFruita.com)