Portland-area Safeway hours changes

Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. No non-grocery posts.
Kyleinlongview
Cart Collector
Cart Collector
Posts: 5
Joined: February 10th, 2017, 5:41 pm
Location: Longview, WA
Status: Offline

Re: Portland-area Safeway hours changes

Post by Kyleinlongview »

"I am continually amazed that, with the higher prices, that Safeway can maintain three locations in Longview-Kelso. Seriously. This is an economically challenged area and while WinCo is the only other grocery-only store left, there is a Fred Meyer and two Walmarts. Plus Grocery Outlet. Out of all of those, Safeway is the only one that requires the card and app gimmicks for sale prices (which aren't really any better than the competition) Then again, maybe there are people who view the other stores as lower class."

I too am a little surprise as both Safeway stores in Longview are far slower than any of their competition. I am not joking when I say people will actually park at the Safeway on Ocean Beach Hwy to cross the road to shop at Fred Meyer during very busy times when Fred Meyer's lot is full. I have confirmed that both Longview stores have reduced their hours to 11PM now. I sometimes shop at Safeway for the sole reason I know they aren't going to be crowded.

Given how consolidated the grocery market has become here the past 15 years in Longview/Kelso, and how they can't capture business against an always busy Winco, an always busy Fred Meyer (in the top 5 in sales for Fred Meyer stores), and an always busy east side Walmart (west side Walmart is under performing in sales and has been every since their remodel 5 yearsish according to friend in management), I wouldn't be shocked if they closed one of the three stores here in the future.
Restaurant Manager in Longview, WA
Super S
Posts: 2691
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 9:27 pm
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Status: Offline

Re: Portland-area Safeway hours changes

Post by Super S »

Kyleinlongview wrote: November 18th, 2017, 3:37 pm "I am continually amazed that, with the higher prices, that Safeway can maintain three locations in Longview-Kelso. Seriously. This is an economically challenged area and while WinCo is the only other grocery-only store left, there is a Fred Meyer and two Walmarts. Plus Grocery Outlet. Out of all of those, Safeway is the only one that requires the card and app gimmicks for sale prices (which aren't really any better than the competition) Then again, maybe there are people who view the other stores as lower class."

I too am a little surprise as both Safeway stores in Longview are far slower than any of their competition. I am not joking when I say people will actually park at the Safeway on Ocean Beach Hwy to cross the road to shop at Fred Meyer during very busy times when Fred Meyer's lot is full. I have confirmed that both Longview stores have reduced their hours to 11PM now. I sometimes shop at Safeway for the sole reason I know they aren't going to be crowded.

Given how consolidated the grocery market has become here the past 15 years in Longview/Kelso, and how they can't capture business against an always busy Winco, an always busy Fred Meyer (in the top 5 in sales for Fred Meyer stores), and an always busy east side Walmart (west side Walmart is under performing in sales and has been every since their remodel 5 yearsish according to friend in management), I wouldn't be shocked if they closed one of the three stores here in the future.
I don't quite understand Walmart's logic in Longview. When they built that new store on 7th Ave, they closed the Ocean Beach store for a year, and gutted and completely remodeled the store. However, they eliminated many things, such as the auto center (which was on part of where the grocery department now sits), optical (which moved to the other store), and this one doesn't even have a restaurant any more. (It previously had a McDonald's, odd because there is also a McDonald's in the parking lot. Later a Subway located in the parking lot buildings as well.) The two stores definitely attract a different clientele though, every time I go to the one on 7th I get the feeling that they are holding a "people of Walmart" convention. I also don't really care for the overall parking layout and access. The Ocean Beach store is easier to access, but doesn't seem nearly as crowded. But The Ocean Beach store is well-positioned if any new housing developments in west Longview materialize. The newer store in Woodland probably hurt sales a bit also. But it doesn't help when departments are eliminated.

As for Fred Meyer, I have only seen the lot that full during Black Friday and other days when having a big sale. I usually can easily find parking.
Post Reply