Lake Forest gets California’s first At Home store

A home decor big box retailer, At Home, is choosing Lake Forest as its first location in California.

The 85,000-square-foot store will open in early spring at the Foothill Ranch Towne Centre near the 241 Toll Road, filling the space used by Sports Chalet and the Maiselle Fine Furniture, officials said.

The store will carry furniture, garden, home textiles, housewares, patio, seasonal decor and other home products.

“The site is located in a dense, high-growth area in a regional shopping center with excellent traffic, co-tenants and visibility,” company representative Carey Marin said in an e-mail about the attractiveness of Lake Forest.

There are more than 175 At Home stores in 36 states, Marin said, adding the company has a potential to grow to 600 stores across the country.

The Foothill Ranch Towne Centre will also get a Hoag health center, filling the space once occupied by JoAnn Fabrics. The 45,000-square-foot location will employ about 130 people and include medical offices and an urgent care center, according to a report from the city’s Planning Commission.

It’s unclear when the center will open. The project is currently in the design phase, the center’s spokeswoman Heidi Pallares said in an e-mail.

Meanwhile, Sprouts Farmers Market is likely coming to the city’s south side by the 5 Freeway and El Toro Road by September, filling the vacant building once occupied by Petco.

The company has yet to announce the addition, but the Planning Commission on Nov. 8 issued a license for the store to sell beer and wine.

The market chain, which has more than a hundred stores in California and more than a dozen stores in the county, specializes in local produce and fresh foods.