Albertsons/Safeway 2018 & 2019: Openings and Closings

This is the place for general and miscellaneous posts on topics which might extend past the boundaries of any specific region. No non-grocery posts.
arizonaguy
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by arizonaguy »

An "upscale" Safeway is slated to open at 83rd Ave. and Happy Valley Rd. in Peoria, AZ. I'm pretty sure this is the first new build store (not replacing any other store) from the company in Arizona since the late 2000s. There is an Albertsons 2 miles south of this location that was recently renovated into the Colorful Lifestyle decor. Other grocers in the vicinity are a Fry's (also 2 miles south), a Fry's and Walmart Neighborhood market 2 miles east, and a Fry's Marketplace, Sprout's, and SuperTarget 2 miles west of this location.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/lo ... 592842002/

Unique features of this store include " a walk-in wine cellar, a fish monger, a bakery decorated with tiles imported from Mexico and a kombucha bar."

I believe this may be the first new build Safeway in Arizona since either 2009 or 2011.
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by storewanderer »

arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 4:17 am An "upscale" Safeway is slated to open at 83rd Ave. and Happy Valley Rd. in Peoria, AZ. I'm pretty sure this is the first new build store (not replacing any other store) from the company in Arizona since the late 2000s. There is an Albertsons 2 miles south of this location that was recently renovated into the Colorful Lifestyle decor. Other grocers in the vicinity are a Fry's (also 2 miles south), a Fry's and Walmart Neighborhood market 2 miles east, and a Fry's Marketplace, Sprout's, and SuperTarget 2 miles west of this location.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/lo ... 592842002/

Unique features of this store include " a walk-in wine cellar, a fish monger, a bakery decorated with tiles imported from Mexico and a kombucha bar."

I believe this may be the first new build Safeway in Arizona since either 2009 or 2011.
Safeway did actually open that replacement up north of Tucson of an old Abco...
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by arizonaguy »

storewanderer wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:49 pm
arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 4:17 am An "upscale" Safeway is slated to open at 83rd Ave. and Happy Valley Rd. in Peoria, AZ. I'm pretty sure this is the first new build store (not replacing any other store) from the company in Arizona since the late 2000s. There is an Albertsons 2 miles south of this location that was recently renovated into the Colorful Lifestyle decor. Other grocers in the vicinity are a Fry's (also 2 miles south), a Fry's and Walmart Neighborhood market 2 miles east, and a Fry's Marketplace, Sprout's, and SuperTarget 2 miles west of this location.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/lo ... 592842002/

Unique features of this store include " a walk-in wine cellar, a fish monger, a bakery decorated with tiles imported from Mexico and a kombucha bar."

I believe this may be the first new build Safeway in Arizona since either 2009 or 2011.
Safeway did actually open that replacement up north of Tucson of an old Abco...
Then they opened 2 new stores as Vail is a totally new build store (that has been in the works since 2007) and I wasn't even aware of until now (Vail is SE of Tucson).

At any rate, it's a good sign that they're investing in the Arizona division again.
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by storewanderer »

arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:57 pm
storewanderer wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:49 pm
arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 4:17 am An "upscale" Safeway is slated to open at 83rd Ave. and Happy Valley Rd. in Peoria, AZ. I'm pretty sure this is the first new build store (not replacing any other store) from the company in Arizona since the late 2000s. There is an Albertsons 2 miles south of this location that was recently renovated into the Colorful Lifestyle decor. Other grocers in the vicinity are a Fry's (also 2 miles south), a Fry's and Walmart Neighborhood market 2 miles east, and a Fry's Marketplace, Sprout's, and SuperTarget 2 miles west of this location.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/lo ... 592842002/

Unique features of this store include " a walk-in wine cellar, a fish monger, a bakery decorated with tiles imported from Mexico and a kombucha bar."

I believe this may be the first new build Safeway in Arizona since either 2009 or 2011.
Safeway did actually open that replacement up north of Tucson of an old Abco...
Then they opened 2 new stores as Vail is a totally new build store (that has been in the works since 2007) and I wasn't even aware of until now (Vail is SE of Tucson).

At any rate, it's a good sign that they're investing in the Arizona division again.
Based on the appearance of the Vail store, it looks like they spent the bare minimum to get it open. Cheapest implementation of "colorful lifestyle" I've seen. The application of "colorful lifestyle" on 2003-build Albertsons looks much better and classier than this. And already with an "average rating" of only 3.8 on Google with multiple complaints about pricing being too high and lack of self checkout...

But at least they went forward with the development. They had been sitting on this site for a decade too...
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by architect »

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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by SamSpade »

Greenwood Safeway is a decent Lifrestyle store but is on a "big" lot in a densifying neighborhood.

About 7 years ago now, Fred Meyer kicked Greenwood Market (Town & Country) off their lot and rebuilt their store into a full-service location.

They originally had ambitious plans for their site but it turned out to be on a peat bog so it wasn't possible (also post housing crash).

Aurora Ave. Albertsons is a BIG store, especially for Seattle, and likely started with theme park decor. This store is adjacent to the Sam's Club recently closed. There is a Safeway not too far north that was handed back in Haggen bankruptcy. To the South (I believe) is a Trader Joe's in another pre-bankruptcy Haggen closure.

Also nearby:
Costco
(Edmonds) WinCo
99 Ranch
Asian Food Center
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by storewanderer »

SamSpade wrote: May 15th, 2018, 7:32 am Greenwood Safeway is a decent Lifrestyle store but is on a "big" lot in a densifying neighborhood.

About 7 years ago now, Fred Meyer kicked Greenwood Market (Town & Country) off their lot and rebuilt their store into a full-service location.

They originally had ambitious plans for their site but it turned out to be on a peat bog so it wasn't possible (also post housing crash).

Aurora Ave. Albertsons is a BIG store, especially for Seattle, and likely started with theme park decor. This store is adjacent to the Sam's Club recently closed. There is a Safeway not too far north that was handed back in Haggen bankruptcy. To the South (I believe) is a Trader Joe's in another pre-bankruptcy Haggen closure.

Also nearby:
Costco
(Edmonds) WinCo
99 Ranch
Asian Food Center
When did that Greenwood Safeway open? I assume it was a rebuild of a smaller older store? Or was it an organic new store in the 90's?

Aurora Ave. Albertsons started with the late 90's cream colored wall decor. It then got a very extensive remodel by Supervalu... one of the first Premium Fresh and Healthy remodels, because it was one of their best volume stores at that time...

That Safeway that got handed back from Haggen was a pretty lousy store... perhaps better insulated from competition. Funny when you close modern large 20 year old stores and keep old outdated 50 year old stores open.
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by jamcool »

arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:57 pmit
storewanderer wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:49 pm
arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 4:17 am An "upscale" Safeway is slated to open at 83rd Ave. and Happy Valley Rd. in Peoria, AZ. I'm pretty sure this is the first new build store (not replacing any other store) from the company in Arizona since the late 2000s. There is an Albertsons 2 miles south of this location that was recently renovated into the Colorful Lifestyle decor. Other grocers in the vicinity are a Fry's (also 2 miles south), a Fry's and Walmart Neighborhood market 2 miles east, and a Fry's Marketplace, Sprout's, and SuperTarget 2 miles west of this location.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/lo ... 592842002/

Unique features of this store include " a walk-in wine cellar, a fish monger, a bakery decorated with tiles imported from Mexico and a kombucha bar."

I believe this may be the first new build Safeway in Arizona since either 2009 or 2011.
Safeway did actually open that replacement up north of Tucson of an old Abco...
Then they opened 2 new stores as Vail is a totally new build store (that has been in the works since 2007) and I wasn't even aware of until now (Vail is SE of Tucson).

At any rate, it's a good sign that they're investing in the Arizona division again.
It tells me that the Albertsons banner will be disappearing from Arizona
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by arizonaguy »

jamcool wrote: May 16th, 2018, 7:49 am
arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:57 pmit
storewanderer wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:49 pm

Safeway did actually open that replacement up north of Tucson of an old Abco...
Then they opened 2 new stores as Vail is a totally new build store (that has been in the works since 2007) and I wasn't even aware of until now (Vail is SE of Tucson).

At any rate, it's a good sign that they're investing in the Arizona division again.
It tells me that the Albertsons banner will be disappearing from Arizona
I think so as well. Albertsons has borne the brunt of the post-merger closings. In Arizona where the two banners co-exist Albertsons is more of the "value" brand. They're running different ad programs with Albertsons generally getting the better deals and/or the lower priced/lower quality items being featured in the ads.
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Re: Albertsons/Safeway 2018: Openings and Closings

Post by storewanderer »

arizonaguy wrote: May 16th, 2018, 7:05 pm
jamcool wrote: May 16th, 2018, 7:49 am
arizonaguy wrote: May 14th, 2018, 8:57 pmit


Then they opened 2 new stores as Vail is a totally new build store (that has been in the works since 2007) and I wasn't even aware of until now (Vail is SE of Tucson).

At any rate, it's a good sign that they're investing in the Arizona division again.
It tells me that the Albertsons banner will be disappearing from Arizona
I think so as well. Albertsons has borne the brunt of the post-merger closings. In Arizona where the two banners co-exist Albertsons is more of the "value" brand. They're running different ad programs with Albertsons generally getting the better deals and/or the lower priced/lower quality items being featured in the ads.
Yet if you look at everyday shelf pricing (specifically on produce) the Albertsons Stores in Arizona have higher prices than the Safeway Stores...

I think they will continue to support the Albertsons brand in Arizona. I base that on that Southwest Division is supporting that brand in Las Vegas, Southern Utah, and also in El Paso and I do not expect banner conversions in those markets (unless they go "all in" on the Safeway banner, which I believe they know better than to do).
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