Downtown Ralphs opens Friday

This is only a supermarket, mind you, but it's downtown's very first in more than half a century. And it comes after years of delays that have provided a lightning rod for folks who have been skeptical about the downtown renaissance. Seeking out the higher-end crowd, Ralphs will offer extra-fancy produce and specialty products (sounds like a Gelsons wanna-bee). Friday is the ribbon cutting. It’s worth noting that sales volume at the store is expected to be $500,000 a week, half that of the highest-performing store (that might explain why it's taken so long to get the thing up and running). Ralphs President Dave Hirz said that the chain is looking at designs for a new location at First and Grand, where the Grand Avenue project is expected to break ground later this year. (Downtown News)