Mi Pueblo files for bankruptcy

This photo shows the front of the East Palo Alto
Mi Pueblo when it opened in November 2009.

The well-known Mi Pueblo grocery chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday of this week. Mi Pueblo, which is the largest Latino grocery chain in California, operates 21 stores throughout the state.

According to representatives for the supermarket, Mi Pueblo filed for bankruptcy after it was unable to reach an agreement with its major creditor, Wells Fargo. The supermarket works with several banks, but has most of its money in Wells Fargo, whose lines of credit enable the chain to carry out day-to-day operations.

Although Mi Pueblo has declared bankruptcy with the intent of reorganizing, store representatives said the store is up-to-date with payments to its employees and with its vendors and will leave all of its 21 stores, including the one in East Palo Alto, open and running, while it seeks to resolve its legal issues in court.

Liz Vargas, the author of this article, can be contacted at epatoday@epatoday.org.

EPA Today articles:

New Grocery Store Opens in East Palo Alto