‘We’re open for anybody.’ New Merced store promises wholesale items, no membership fees
Segio Anaya smiled as he opened the door to a large refrigerated room filled with shelves of different cheeses and rows of different cuts of meat.
“This is my favorite room,” says Anaya, who has worked for CHEF’STORE for over four years in Sacramento and Stockton locations.
Anaya is the general manager of the CHEF’STORE that recently opened in Merced at 3275 R Street, across from Target.
“We’re a wholesale grocery store open to the public that caters to chefs, caterers, food trucks, small businesses, big businesses, we’re open for anybody,” Anaya said.
The store is stocked with restaurant essentials, including fresh meat, produce, frozen foods and other grocery items in a variety of sizes.
Wide selection of items
What sets CHEF’STORE apart from other wholesale type stores like Costco is customers don’t have to pay any membership fees.
“I think the selection of items makes it unique,” Anaya said. “If you go look in our meat department there are over 25 different cuts of meat. There are 15 to 20 different types of cheeses. You’re not going to find that at the regular, every day store.”
When customers walk into the refrigerated storage room they’re going to find all kinds of sliced and shredded cheeses. Some of the cheeses include sliced blue cheese, havarti and sharp white cheddar. There are blocks of cheese including gouda, dill havarti, creamy havarti, muenster and Austrian grueyere.
The cuts of meat include flank steak, chuck shoulder, tri-tip, peeled tri-tip, outside skirt steak, inside skirt steak, beef tenderloins, New York strips, ribeyes, briskets and top sirloin to go along with different cuts of pork and wide deli meat selection.
“You’re going to be overwhelmed with the wonderful selection that we have,” Anaya said. “Our customer service is top notch, that’s kind of what I pride myself in, but also our company.”
National chain
The 19,000 square-foot Merced location in the 17th CHEF’STORE in California in a chain that includes over 80 stores in 13 states.
Merced was a desired location for the company, according to Sara Matheu, who is CHEF’STORE director of media relations.
“We wanted a location that is convenient for restaurant operators and the community,” Matheu said via e-mail. “Merced has a growing community of restaurant owners and culinary professionals, and we’re excited to help serve their needs.”
The Merced location employs seven people and is open every day.
Although CHEF’STORE is a bulk store, it does carry smaller quantities for the regular retail customers.
Anaya says the feedback from customers since they opened has been positive.
“They love it,” he said. “Some of them it’s simple, they say, ‘We’re glad you’re on this side of town.’ Some have said, ‘We needed something like this forever.’ Some say, ‘I’m glad I don’t have to go to the Modesto location.’ They all seem to enjoy it.”
This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 4:00 PM.
