Robinson’s to Join in Farmers Market Mall

Robinson’s said Wednesday that it plans to join May Co. California and Nordstrom as store anchors for the new Farmers Market Mall, a controversial retail development proposed for the Fairfax area of Los Angeles.

The 150,000-square-foot store will be the first Robinson’s to be located between downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. It will be part of a $300-million retail, business and residential development that will include the landmark Farmers Market. The market, built in 1934, consists of a food court and 25 to 30 merchants in newer buildings.

The development, which will begin in 1991, has encountered opposition from community groups in the Third Street and Fairfax Avenue area. The densely populated area is expected to suffer from more traffic congestion with the development, and opponents point out that the Beverly Center, another mall, is located just one mile east. The main store anchors at the Beverly Center are the Broadway and Bullock’s.

“We look forward to being part of this dynamic new development at Farmers Market and are committed to working with the city and the community to preserve the area’s character and to help ensure that the mall’s impact on the neighborhood is a positive one,” Robert L. Mettler, Robinson’s president and chief executive, said in a statement.

Robinson’s, which is owned by May Department Stores of St. Louis, operates 29 stores in Southern California and Arizona.