Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the correct dates for El Super's in-person job fairs.
North Long Beach’s long-quiet big-box at 2185 E. South St. is about to get noisy again. El Super is slated to open a new full-service grocery there next month, taking over the former Food 4 Less space and planning to hire about 140 workers, from department managers to meat cutters, bakers, and cake decorators. For neighbors, it means fresh jobs and another place to grab groceries without leaving the area.
According to the Long Beach Post, El Super is recruiting 140 people and held in-person job fairs on April 7 and April 9 at its South Gate store at 5702 Firestone Blvd. The company is accepting applications online until positions are filled. The Post reports that openings range from assistant and department manager roles to skilled positions like meat cutters, bakers, and cooks, with applicants who could not make it in person directed to the chain’s online hiring portal.
Where The Store Will Sit
City of Long Beach records show the new El Super will occupy a roughly 59,300-square-foot tenant space at the northeast corner of South Street and Cherry Avenue. A conditional-use filing for the project includes permission for off-site alcohol sales at the grocery. The CEQA notice and staff materials also point to planned façade updates to the existing building at 2185 South St., giving the long-vacant shell a fresh look.
What Shoppers And Jobseekers Can Expect
Chedraui USA, which operates the El Super banner, also owns Fiesta Mart and Smart & Final. The chain leans into full-service perishables and in-store Cocina counters and regularly features Latin American staples such as pan dulce, aguas frescas, and tortillas, according to the El Super website. That combination of prepared foods and traditional ingredients will shape both hiring needs and the store’s draw in North Long Beach.
Why The Opening Matters
The project reuses a site vacated when Kroger shut down the Food 4 Less at this corner in April 2021, a move that sparked heavy local coverage and worries about food access, according to ABC7. City planning documents and local reporting later followed various proposals to repurpose the center, including coverage in the Long Beach Post. For nearby residents, a new grocery store means an active anchor tenant returning to a shopping center that has been underused for years, along with a sizable batch of local jobs.
Jobseekers can apply online through El Super’s careers portal or watch for future in-person hiring events listed by the company. For details and to submit applications, visit El Super.
