Grocery Outlet Opens Near Lake Merritt Oct. 22: What It Means for Oakland Grocery Jobs

OAKLAND, CA — The old Walgreens corner at East 18th Street and Third Avenue is about to light up again. Grocery Outlet plans a grand opening on Thursday, October 22, at 301 E. 18th St. in Eastlake, a short walk from Lake Merritt, giving the neighborhood a discount grocer and giving Oakland job seekers a new store to watch for openings.

A dark storefront becomes a grocery store, and grocery stores run on hourly crews. Here's what's confirmed, what isn't, and how to get in line for the work.

Need work now? Skip straight to the Oakland grocery job links →

📍 At a Glance

Business	Grocery Outlet
Grand opening	Thursday, October 22, 2026
Address	301 E. 18th St., Oakland (East 18th Street and Third Avenue, Eastlake)
Concept	Discount grocery selling closeouts and overstock
Owners	Independently owned and operated by Jorge Cossio
Industry	Grocery retail
New jobs	Not announced

From Empty Walgreens to Grocery Outlet in Eastlake

The building sat mostly dark after Walgreens closed the store in 2025, and neighbors spent months asking what would fill it. County records filed in March pointed to Grocery Outlet, and KTVU reported this week that the store opens next week with an October 22 grand opening, a ribbon cutting and giveaways.

The promotions are aimed at shoppers, not applicants: the first 100 customers get gift cards in mystery amounts up to $500, and a contest for $1,000 in free groceries runs from October 22 through November 20. The chain says most of what it sells is priced 40 to 70 percent below regular retail.

This will be Grocery Outlet's second Oakland store. The first sits on Broadway at 29th Street, and the company itself is headquartered just over the line in Emeryville.

💼 Who Does the Hiring at a Grocery Outlet

Here's the detail that matters for job seekers. Most Grocery Outlet stores are run by independent operators, local owners who stock the shelves to fit their neighborhood and build their own crews. This store is independently owned and operated by Jorge Cossio, so the hiring decisions sit with the store, not a corporate office.

No headcount has been announced for the Lake Merritt location, and we haven't seen a public hiring event for it. That's worth saying plainly. If you want in, get your resume ready, watch for postings tied to the East 18th Street store, and be ready to ask about openings in person once the doors are open. Grocery crews typically cover cashiering, stocking, receiving, produce and frozen, and shift leads.

💵 What Grocery Work Pays at This Address

The store sits inside Oakland city limits, so Oakland's local minimum wage applies, not the lower statewide rate. The city's 2026 rate is $17.34 an hour, and it adjusts each January. Treat that as the floor, not the going rate. Pay for this store hasn't been published, so check the posted wage on any listing and compare it with other grocers along International Boulevard and Grand Avenue before you accept.

🔎 Start Your Oakland Grocery Job Search

You don't have to wait on one store. Oakland's grocery and retail employers hire year-round, and the holiday stretch is when crews grow fastest. These searches cover the roles a new grocery store fills.

Start here:

FAQ: Grocery Outlet Near Lake Merritt

When does the new Oakland Grocery Outlet open?

The grand opening is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2026, according to KTVU's reporting on the store.

Where is the store?

301 E. 18th St., at East 18th Street and Third Avenue in Eastlake, in the former Walgreens building near Lake Merritt.

Is the Lake Merritt Grocery Outlet hiring?

No hiring numbers have been announced. The store is independently operated, so the operator builds the crew. Watch for postings and ask at the store once it opens.

What is the minimum wage at this store?

Oakland's local minimum wage applies because the work is performed inside city limits. It is $17.34 an hour in 2026 and resets each January. What the store actually pays hasn't been published.

Is this Oakland's only Grocery Outlet?

No. It's the second, joining the store on Broadway at 29th Street.

Get Ready Before the Doors Open

New stores reward the people who show up prepared. Create a free LocalJobPage profile so your resume is ready to send the day postings appear, and browse the Oakland Career Center for more ways into steady work.

Employers: Staffing a new store or adding holiday crews? Post your Oakland openings on LocalJobPage and reach local job seekers.