NORTHGATE MARKET

From wood elements and agave plant accents to the earthy palette and chevron terra cotta tile throughout, everything about Northgate González Market in the south Los Angeles neighborhood of South Gate borrows from the richness of Mexican ranch culture and the streets of Hispanic communities across Southern California. 

Following the vision and direction of ownership, the market is a choreographed sequence of smaller shops—each department boasts its own look with decorative lighting and textures, helping create a warm, cozy ambience and customer experience. The store design, inspired by the roots of the González family that owns and operates the franchise, features a color scheme with the extensive use of brown combined with various shades of maroons, greys, off whites, and ochres, while dyed woods and illuminated signs add depth and vibrancy to each department.  

The warm elements that welcome each visitor is juxtaposed by the urban elements of painted brick and LED Edison bulb canopies throughout and by playful play-on-word verbiage adorning each department. For example, over the prepared foods area is the saying, Panza llena, corazon contento (“When the belly is full, the heart is content”). The beer section showcases the phrase, Mis CHELAS bien heladas (“My really cold BEERS”), in homage to Micheladas, a wildly popular Mexican drink. It gives every visitor a feel of home, a theme that resonates with the Gonzalez family, who believe everyone from customers to employees are “all familia”. 

The completely revamped bakery features an oversize window to showcase their “from-scratch” offerings and is complemented with a sign in printed leatherette letters inspired by the equestrian roots of the family ranch. In collaboration with Artiginana and Marque Medical, this Northgate Market location introduces the Botica and Clinica Bienestar concept, featuring tiles and natural woods complemented by medicinal herbs graphics for a smooth transition between the market and in-house clinic. 

Rounding out the market is the brand new outdoor taqueria. It takes its cue from street taco stands, complementing the building’s exterior with corrugated metal, hand-painted signs, string lights, and umbrellas, not only making Northgate Market the go-to place to shop for groceries in the neighborhood, but also creating the perfect place to hang out and enjoy the Mexican delights that Taqueria Gonzalez has to offer. 

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