A public-private partnership spearheaded by the city of Anaheim and supported by the Anaheim Community Foundation, Store One was envisioned to boost food business startups and build up the culinary workforce in Orange County. This area is home to some of the country’s biggest hospitality venues and innovative food entrepreneurs.

When built, the hub will serve hundreds of adults and youth through culinary business incubation, workforce training, upskilling, and related community services. As many as 120 culinary trainees will graduate, and 20 food-related startups will be supported annually.

Upon completion, Store One’s 12,000-square-foot building will include a teaching kitchen for training a range of positions ¾ from chefs to line cooks to restaurant managers, among others; a batch production kitchen for budding food entrepreneurs to test recipes and produce goods in quantity; a showcase kitchen and flex space for cooking demonstrations and other events; and a community garden and gathering space. On a rotating basis, food entrepreneurs can sell their culinary creations directly to consumers from two pop-up storefronts.

The Store One hub for culinary entrepreneurship and workforce training to be built in Anaheim has reached a critical funding milestone, securing $7.75 million in public funding for construction and another $3 million from private donations to support equipment and operational expenses. This first-of-its-kind culinary center will be built at the former site of the first Northgate González Market on Anaheim Boulevard, with construction slated to begin this fall.

Store One launched a campaign on June 27 to raise an additional $5 million for the project. The funding will go toward purchasing furniture and equipment and supporting multiyear programming and operations when the facility opens in late 2025.

“With Store One, we are preserving and building on a proud part of Anaheim’s past while investing in the future of our young people,” Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said. “We are a city that creates spaces where you can dream big. The González family came to Anaheim from Jalisco to build an American success story alongside Walt Disney, Carl Karcher, and Vans in our city’s history. Now, we will create a space of opportunity and economic mobility for young chefs, cottage bakers, and others who dream of building a legacy here in Anaheim. We invite everyone to join us.”

“Downton Anaheim is the historic heart of Anaheim,” said Council Member Natalie Rubalcava, who represents District 3, home to Store One. “This is where our city was born as a cooperative of wine growers, tradespeople, artists, writers, and musicians. Now, nearly 160 years later, the heart of Anaheim will be home to a new type of cooperative that provides a way for young talent to thrive. Our city has set the stage for Store One with a major investment. We now need our community to join us in supporting young lives and economic opportunity in Anaheim.”

Major public funders for 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 Anaheim Public Utilities ($250,000). The project will receive a forthcoming joint federal appropriation from the Offices of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Lou Correa ($500,000), and a forthcoming state appropriation from the Office of Assemblymember Avelino Valencia ($1 million).

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

“Store One represents a unique and fresh approach for improving our local culinary workforce, uplifting communities through increased economic opportunity and better-paying jobs in the future,” said Joanna Kong, executive director at the Sun Family Foundation. “We’re very proud to be part of this initiative.”

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Anaheim purchased the vacant Store One property from Northgate González Market for $4.75 million. In response to the economic disruption caused by the pandemic and the increasing workforce needs of the local hospitality and culinary industries, Store One was created to boost the community’s small business sector and enhance post-pandemic local culinary jobs and economic opportunities, particularly for youth.

Through a request for proposals process just announced, Store One seeks to partner with multiple nonprofit and educational groups to provide the day-to-day services and programming at Store One.

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About Anaheim Community Foundation (ACF)

Established 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 to community needs they care about, and providing leadership on critical community issues. The Foundation supports a broad base of programs, services, organizations, and facilities that enrich the lives of Anaheim residents.

About Store One

Coming to Anaheim in late 2025, Store One will be a hub for culinary entrepreneurship and workforce training, built at the former site of the first Northgate González Market on Anaheim Boulevard. A model public-private partnership, its goal is to support food business startups and build the local culinary workforce, while also providing a local gathering place that amplifies community through food.