Fresh & Easy to Sherman Oaks?

Oh, you've got to love rumors, especially those that both anger and please people, depending on who you're speaking with. This rumor comes via a report during the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council* meeting last Monday night. During a Land Use Committee report, someone asked what the status was on the old Ventura Club building at Colbath and Ventura (just East of Hazeltine). Originally it was slated as a Walgreens, but after that got scrapped, the building sat abandoned. But now there a lot of construction going on inside as well as substantial parking lot additions. One member said he heard it was supposed to be "that English grocery store chain." Right then, the room was abuzz with "Tesco" and "Fresh & Easy," and how the Van Nuys location is not working out. No one could confirm any of this and calls to corporate late yesterday afternoon were not immediately returned, but upon a site visit, whatever's being built at the location is looking to be rather large in size (photos below)

In other Sherman Oaks grocery news, back in February, Curbed LA reported that a Sherman Oaks Homeowner's Association newsletter talked about both Whole Foods stores in the neighborhood (named Sherman Oaks East and Sherman Oaks West) might be combined into one store. One SOHA member told LAist that the latest he heard was that they might buy the Pavilions on Ventura Blvd. and set up shop there. If that happens, then what of the large retail spaces that they currently occupy? Perfect locations for two more Fresh & Easy locations. Oh boy.