StoreOne, a culinary entrepreneurship and talent development hub, is coming to Anaheim

Store One, a public-private partnership spearheaded by the City of Anaheim and supported by the Anaheim Community Foundation, was conceived to boost food business startups and strengthen the culinary workforce in Orange County, a region home to some of the largest hospitality venues and innovative food entrepreneurs in the country.

Once built, the hub will serve hundreds of adults and youth through culinary business incubation, workforce training, upskilling and related community services. Up to 120 culinary trainees will graduate and 20 food-related start-ups will be supported each year.

Once complete, Store One’s 12,000-square-foot building will include an instructional kitchen to train ¾ of a variety of positions, from chefs to line cooks to restaurant managers and more; a batch production kitchen for budding food entrepreneurs to test recipes and churn out goods in bulk; a showcase kitchen and flex space for cooking demonstrations and other events; and a community garden and gathering space. Food entrepreneurs will be able to sell their culinary creations directly to consumers from two pop-up storefronts on a rotating basis.

Store One, a culinary entrepreneurship and talent development hub coming to Anaheim, has reached a key fundraising milestone, securing $7.75 million in public funding for construction and $3 million in private donations to support equipment and operating costs. The first-of-its-kind culinary center will be built on the site of the original Northgate Gonzales Market on Anaheim Boulevard, with construction scheduled to begin this fall.

StoreOne launched a campaign on June 27 to raise an additional $5 million for the project. The funds will be used to purchase furniture and equipment when the facility opens in late 2025, as well as to support multi-year programs and operations.

“With Store One, we’re investing in the future of our young people while protecting and building on a proud part of Anaheim’s history,” said Anaheim Mayor Ashley Aitken. “We are a city that creates space to dream big. The Gonzalez family came to Anaheim from Jalisco to write an American success story in the history of our city, along with Walt Disney, Carl Karcher and Vans. Now we’re creating a space of opportunity and economic mobility for young chefs, bakers and anyone who dreams of making history in Anaheim. We hope you’ll join us.”

“Downtown Anaheim is the historic heart of Anaheim,” said City Council Member Natalie Rubalcaba, who represents District 3, where Store One is located. “It’s where our city was born, when vintners, merchants, artists, writers and musicians formed a cooperative. Now, nearly 160 years later, downtown Anaheim will be home to a new type of cooperative where young talent can thrive. Our city set the stage for Store One with a major investment, and now we need your help in supporting the lives and economic opportunities of Anaheim’s youth.”

Leading public agencies funding Store One to date include the federal Economic Development Administration ($3 million), a federal Community Development Block Grant ($2 million), the City of Anaheim ($1 million), and the Anaheim Public Works Department ($250,000). The project will be jointly funded by federal funds ($500,000) from the offices of Senator Alex Padilla and Congressman Lou Correa, and state funds ($1 million) from the office of Congressman Avellino Valencia.

To date, major donors from the philanthropic sector include the Samueli Foundation ($1.5 million) and the Sun Family Foundation ($1 million), along with other private donations.

“Store One represents a unique and fresh approach to elevating our local culinary workforce and uplifting our community through expanded economic opportunity and good-paying jobs in the future,” said Joanna Kong, executive director of the Sun Family Foundation. “We are incredibly proud to be part of this effort.”

In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Anaheim purchased the vacant Store One storefront from Northgate Gonzales Market for $4.75 million. In response to the economic dislocation and increased workforce demands in the local hospitality and culinary industries caused by the pandemic, Store One was created to revitalize the region’s small business sector and bolster local culinary jobs and economic opportunity, particularly for youth, post-pandemic.

Through a just-announced request for proposal process, Store One is looking to partner with several nonprofit and educational organizations to provide day-to-day services and programs at Store One.

###

About Anaheim Community Foundation (ACF)

Founded in 1984, the Anaheim Community Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation dedicated to improving the quality of life in Anaheim by increasing charitable giving, connecting donors with community needs and providing leadership on important community issues. The Foundation supports a wide range of programs, services, organizations and facilities that enrich the lives of Anaheim residents.

About StoreOne

Store One, opening in Anaheim in late 2025, will be built on the former site of Northgate Gonzales Market on Anaheim Boulevard and will be a culinary entrepreneurship and workforce training hub. A model for public-private partnerships, the facility’s goals are to support emerging food businesses, develop local chefs and provide a local gathering space that invigorates the community through food.

Related