MORAGA, CALIFORNIA – The much-anticipated discount supermarket coming to the Rheem Valley Shopping Center is now expected to open in March or April 2027, months later than originally planned.
The latest timeline emerged during a September 9 Moraga Town Council meeting, where the town manager provided an update on the project, according to local reporting on the development.
But there’s good news, too: The project is still moving forward (despite closures of some other Grocery Outlet locations in CA), and the new grocery store promises to bring something Moraga residents haven’t had in years — a second major supermarket option in town.
What’s Behind the Delay?
The new Grocery Outlet is part of a substantial redevelopment of the Rheem Valley Shopping Center, one of Moraga’s two principal shopping districts.
The project involves replacing a largely vacant, 11,167-square-foot strip of older retail spaces between CVS and Dollar Tree with a new, 17,404-square-foot grocery store.
Construction has proven more complicated than originally anticipated.
As the Lamorinda Weekly reported in June, the development encountered several setbacks, including unusually rainy weather, sewer-line complications and additional issues involving county requirements.
At the time, the developer had already pushed its estimated opening into early 2027.
The September Town Council update provided a more specific target of March or April.
That means the supermarket could open roughly nine or ten months later than its original mid-2026 target.
For now, the spring opening remains an estimate rather than a firm grand-opening date.
A Major Makeover for Rheem Valley
The Grocery Outlet project has been in the works for several years.
As Bay Area Telegraph first reported in June 2024, plans for a large discount supermarket at Rheem Valley had generated considerable interest among local residents.
The Moraga Planning Commission approved the redevelopment in December 2023, setting the stage for one of the shopping center’s most significant changes in years.
Demolition finally got underway in May 2025, when crews began tearing down a row of aging storefronts.
Plans also include additional commercial spaces, changes to the shopping center’s parking configuration and new landscaping along Moraga Road.
Meanwhile, portions of Rheem Valley have already received a facelift, with updated storefront facades giving the decades-old shopping center a fresher appearance.
The shopping center is home to a mix of businesses including TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, CVS, Dollar Tree and the historic Rheem Theatre.
Adding a grocery store could bring substantially more regular foot traffic to the area, benefiting neighboring retailers as well.
A New Alternative to Safeway
For Moraga residents, the arrival of Grocery Outlet is particularly significant because the town has relatively limited supermarket choices.
Safeway, located at the Moraga Shopping Center across town, has long been Moraga’s primary full-service supermarket.
Residents looking for other grocery options often travel to Lafayette, Orinda or Walnut Creek.
Grocery Outlet would give local shoppers another choice without leaving town.
The Emeryville-based discount supermarket chain is known for selling brand-name groceries, household essentials, frozen foods, wine and other products at discounted prices.
Its inventory can vary substantially from week to week, with bargain-priced merchandise and limited-quantity finds playing a major role in the shopping experience.
The chain is also expanding elsewhere in the Bay Area. In March 2026, KTVU reported that Grocery Outlet had confirmed signed leases for new locations in both Moraga and Oakland.
The Moraga store represents a particularly notable addition because it will introduce an entirely new supermarket option to the community.
For Moraga residents eager for a new place to stock up on groceries, the wait continues.
But if the timeline holds, bargain hunting at Rheem Valley could finally become a reality next spring. Make sure to join our free 925 News newsletter and we‘ll let you know as soon as a specific opening date is confirmed.
