Leevers and Save-A-Lot join forces to open a grocery store for Central American community in Aurora

At a time when grocery stores are closing and attempting to merge, opening a new store on Colfax Avenue in Aurora might seem like a risky proposition, but two companies have joined forces to open one they think will attract an underserved clientele.

"We have certain stores, certain stores in the immediate location, but we saw the void," Ahorra Mucho store manager Robert Valero said.

The store is a partnership between Castle Rock-based Leevers Supermarkets and the national chain Save-A-Lot. They work to bring products from places like Venezuela, Honduras and Guatemala that people might be looking for.

"We saw the need for the community, and it's been an ongoing study," Valero said.

Leevers Supermarkets aren't new to Colorado. They operate Save-A-Lot stores across the state, and they operate stores that cater to the Latino community, but their new store in La Plaza Colorado is different than anything they've done before because it caters to one of Colorado's fastest-growing populations; Latinos with roots from places other than Mexico.

"We're catering to Central American Hispanics. We have a lot of the products that they recognize from their home countries," said Valero.

"A lot of the canned goods that they don't find at other grocery stores around us, a lot of the fresh produce, the cuts of meat we have," he continued. "A lot of Central American meat cutters that are familiar with what the people want, it may be the same item in a different language, but when people ask what they know, exactly what they're looking for."

In a state whose Latino population is largely Mexican, catering to smaller ethnic groups may seem like a gamble, but they've only been open for ten days and they say business is booming.

"It's been very busy, and they're very happy with the success we're having. We recruited about 60 to 70 employees from the immediate neighborhood, and we're still looking to hire more as business continues to grow," said Valero.