The nearly 34,000-square-foot Bristol Farms Newfound Market at the Irvine Spectrum Center will close its doors by the end of January 2024, marking the end of a unique supermarket concept in the upscale shopping hub. Opened in March 2022, the store represented a bold new experiment for Bristol Farms, combining a traditional grocery section with a vibrant food hall and full-service Italian restaurant. However, despite being hailed as the largest tenant addition following a 2019 expansion, the location has ultimately fallen short of expectations.

The closure decision, announced by Good Food Holdings CEO Neil Stern, is attributed primarily to the challenges of operating a grocery store within a shopping center environment. While the concept itself was not deemed unsuccessful, the specific circumstances of the Irvine Spectrum Center, with its focus on high-end retailers and leisure activities, proved less than ideal for attracting daily grocery shoppers.

The Irvine Spectrum Center remains a prominent retail destination in Orange County, boasting 169 stores across 1.2 million square feet of space. Ranked sixth in the county by 12-month taxable sales, the center continues to attract significant foot traffic and generate substantial revenue. However, the closure of Bristol Farms Newfound Market serves as a reminder that even innovative retail concepts require careful consideration of location and target audience for long-term success.