Cuesta College is adding a new SLO County campus — in an unusual spot
Cuesta College just acquired property for a permanent South County campus, and it’s a well-known building to local residents.
College spokesperson Ritchie Bermudez confirmed that the San Luis Obispo County Community College District — the local board that governs the college — has purchased the former Rite Aid building in Arroyo Grande as part of its “long-term planning efforts.”
The building is located at 1650 E Grand Ave., on the corner of Oak Park Boulevard.
When it opens, the South County center will mark the third permanent Cuesta campus. The college currently has its flagship campus off Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo and its North County campus in Paso Robles.
The Tribune asked Cuesta about a timeline for the campus opening but did not immediately receive a response as of Thursday.
“The college is currently working through the appropriate processes and coordinating closely with the city of Arroyo Grande and local partners,” Bermudez said. “We look forward to sharing more information and will ensure the community is the first to know once those steps have been completed.”
Cuesta College to expand into South County location
Cuesta has long sought to expand its offerings in southern SLO County.
Cuesta has served students through a leased location at Arroyo Grande High School since 1965, according to a 2024 document.
But the success of dual credit enrollment among South County residents also highlighted barriers students faced when trying to access Cuesta’s SLO campus, like fuel costs and traffic, the document said.
“In consideration of increasing access to instructional programs in the South County region, Cuesta College is exploring programming and location options to meet the needs of the local residents, businesses and agriculture community,” the document said.
The 2024 plan estimated that a leased storefront location acquired by Cuesta could serve around 378 full-time, in-person students, and up to 700 full-time students in a hybrid format.
The newly purchased Arroyo Grande location sits at about 16,320 square feet, according to an online real estate listing.
Lee & Associates broker Austin Jackson said the sale from a private party closed on Feb. 13, with the seller saying they felt good that the deal would be beneficial for the community.
Rite Aid began shuttering its local stores after the national chain declared bankruptcy in May, The Tribune previously reported. The Grand Avenue location’s closure was scheduled for July 27.
“Right now there is very little commercial retail activity,” Jackson said, “but this offer was the best we saw right now.”
While the timeline for the South County center’s opening was not immediately available, it’s likely the new location will allow Cuesta to serve more students in the South County region with accessible and affordable educational opportunities.
“Our priority remains serving students and expanding access to educational opportunities in a thoughtful and collaborative manner,” Cuesta President Jill Stearns said through a spokesperson.
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 11:25 AM.
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