Smart & Final's former Haggen stores

[CalItalian]

Former Haggen, for Albertsons 615 N. Pacific Coast Hwy in Redondo Beach opens as a Smart & Final Extra! at 7 am on March 2. It replaces a nearby very small Smart & Final.

[CalItalian]

The Smart & Final on Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance opened today. I went today since they're giving away free Smart & Final reusable bags with any purchase, large eggs are $1.50/doz. and Foster Farms whole chickens are .59/lb.. I was very surprised HOW LITTLE the store has changed since it was an Albertsons and then briefly a Haggen. The physical footprint of the store was not changed AT ALL. This is not a small store, either. Flooring is the same (including the fake wood flooring that Haggen installed around the checkstands), shelves/frozen/refrigerated are in the same place (all are the same from Albertsons). It also has a HOT BAKERY in the same place that it use to be as an Albertsons/Haggen. Anyone who has been in this location knows one strange thing was the service deli and bakery were on polar opposites of the store (service deli front left, bakery back right). They did take out the service deli and added to the produce dept. in that area. Hard to say if they reduced the size of the produce dept. but it use to go to the back of the store from the front and now goes just over halfway. After that, there is an open case with cheese but a very large aisle with not much. They took out the service meat but added additional meat cases. They also took out the pharmacy and put greeting cards in its place. Starbucks is gone replaced with nothing. Service desk has moved to where a checkstand was. If you know this store, even the items from when it was an Albertsons are almost all in the same place (ex. snacks were moved one aisle over).

This store looks more like a conventional supermarket than a Smart and Final. Nice large aisles, great lighting. I overheard one customer say it looks just like it was as an Albertsons which is what I was thinking. Not much different at all. It was VERY busy at 4 pm on their grand opening day with grand opening ad with many specials going on all week (except the free reusable bags which are today and tomorrow only).

The nearby Ralphs next to Target is going through a refresh right now. Should be done in a few weeks. The Ralphs in Redondo Beach on Hawthorne Blvd, a former The Giant and Zody's, is slated for a remodel over th summer per the employees I know there.

[rwsandiego]

I stopped by the North Park (San Diego) Smart and Final Extra which opened in an A-Frame Alpha Beta -> Lucky -> Albertsons -> Haggen location. It looks just like the Albertsons did, aside from different wall decor and signage. The produce department was better stocked than when it was a Haggen with more organics and better quality. Was not a fan of the meat department carrying USDA Select meat. Although not quite as spiffy as when it was a PFH 3.0 Albertsons, I thought it was nicer than Haggen.

[klkla]

I stopped by the North Park (San Diego) Smart and Final Extra which opened in an A-Frame Alpha Beta -> Lucky -> Albertsons -> Haggen location. It looks just like the Albertsons did, aside from different wall decor and signage. The produce department was better stocked than when it was a Haggen with more organics and better quality. Was not a fan of the meat department carrying USDA Select meat. Although not quite as spiffy as when it was a PFH 3.0 Albertsons, I thought it was nicer than Haggen.

Are you 100% sure that was an Alpha Beta? I remember that store being a Food Basket (which is what Lucky stores in SD county were originally called) when I was a kid. I remember it being a very high volume Food Basket in fact but maybe I'm confusing it with a different location.

This 1990 article listing recycling centers has it as a Food Basket at the time (The Alpha Beta stores in San Diego would become Lucky the next year and are listed as Alpha Beta still here):
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-08-23/ ... -centers/2

I do remember an Alpha Beta on El Cajon and 52nd though.

[rwsandiego]

I stopped by the North Park (San Diego) Smart and Final Extra which opened in an A-Frame Alpha Beta -> Lucky -> Albertsons -> Haggen location. It looks just like the Albertsons did, aside from different wall decor and signage. The produce department was better stocked than when it was a Haggen with more organics and better quality. Was not a fan of the meat department carrying USDA Select meat. Although not quite as spiffy as when it was a PFH 3.0 Albertsons, I thought it was nicer than Haggen.

Are you 100% sure that was an Alpha Beta? I remember that store being a Food Basket (which is what Lucky stores in SD county were originally called) when I was a kid. I remember it being a very high volume Food Basket in fact but maybe I'm confusing it with a different location.

This 1990 article listing recycling centers has it as a Food Basket at the time (The Alpha Beta stores in San Diego would become Lucky the next year and are listed as Alpha Beta still here):
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-08-23/ ... -centers/2

I do remember an Alpha Beta on El Cajon and 52nd though.

If you walk around to the back of the sore, you can see that it started in life as an "A" frame store, which was Alpha-Beta's store design for years and years. They also list the 32nd and El Cajon Blvd store as a Food Basket, but I recall seeing a photo that showed it as an Alpha-Beta. The Waring Rd location is listed as being a Food Basket, yet it is the spitting image of a 1970's/80's Alpha-Beta. My guess is Alpha-Beta some stores to Food Basket or, of course, that I am completely wrong. Will have to research that to see if my hunch is true.

EDIT: After posting the above, I searched for "Food Basket" and stumbled across an LA Times article about the founder of San Diego's Big Bear stores (not to be confused with the stores of the same name in Ohio). It states that Food Basket was purchased by Lucky Stores in 1956. In the mid-1980's, American Stores (parent of Alpha-Beta) merged with Lucky. Although they were required to divest the A-B's in other parts of the state, the FTC did not feel there was sufficient overlap in San Diego County to warrant a divestiture, so ASC was not required to divest the San Diego County A-B stores. That would explain why this store and other A-B lookalikes were listed as Food Basket in 1990.

Here's the article that mentions the acquisition of Food Basket by Lucky in 1956: http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-13/ ... go-grocery

[klkla]

If you walk around to the back of the sore, you can see that it started in life as an "A" frame store, which was Alpha-Beta's store design for years and years. They also list the 32nd and El Cajon Blvd store as a Food Basket, but I recall seeing a photo that showed it as an Alpha-Beta. The Waring Rd location is listed as being a Food Basket, yet it is the spitting image of a 1970's/80's Alpha-Beta. My guess is Alpha-Beta some stores to Food Basket or, of course, that I am completely wrong. Will have to research that to see if my hunch is true.

EDIT: After posting the above, I searched for "Food Basket" and stumbled across an LA Times article about the founder of San Diego's Big Bear stores (not to be confused with the stores of the same name in Ohio). It states that Food Basket was purchased by Lucky Stores in 1956. In the mid-1980's, American Stores (parent of Alpha-Beta) merged with Lucky. Although they were required to divest the A-B's in other parts of the state, the FTC did not feel there was sufficient overlap in San Diego County to warrant a divestiture, so ASC was not required to divest the San Diego County A-B stores. That would explain why this store and other A-B lookalikes were listed as Food Basket in 1990.

Here's the article that mentions the acquisition of Food Basket by Lucky in 1956: http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-13/ ... go-grocery

Food Basket used A frame designed stores, as well. Not as frequently as Alpha Beta, but they did use them.

As you can see from the 1990 article there were Alpha Beta and Food Basket stores operating at that time. They had not been merged. But they were owned by the same company. California Attorney General John Van De Kamp sued to block the merger and the companies were forced to operate as separate entities for about three years while the case worked it's way through the courts. Eventually a settlement was reached and most Alpha Beta stores and a couple Lucky stores were divested (most to Yucaipa Companies). The remaining Alpha Betas in San Diego were allowed to convert to Lucky in 1991.

The store in reference was already a Food Basket long before any of this happened. I don't see any evidence that this store was ever an Alpha Beta and I distinctly remember it as a Food Basket when I was young. I could be wrong but am 99% sure that this store was always a Food Basket before coming Lucky > Albertson's > Haggen > Smart & Final Extra.

[rvt]

Not industry insider but I'll give some impressions of the Trabuco/Rancho Santa Margarita S&F store in OC.

1. Slammed with business at 5:45 PM opening day. Every checkstand open with 4+ person lines.
2. They walled off about 10,000 square ft on the south (right side facing) side of store for sublease. This area used to contain Starbucks, Deli, and Bakery and a couple aisles under Lucky/Albertsons/Haggen.
3. Moved Bakery to the former walk in beer cooler next to where the service meat was. Appears to be using some of the Haggen bakery equipment as some does not appear brand new. Service meat backroom still there and looks pretty much unchanged, still a Lucky touch. But the displays for service meat have changed to serve yourself.
4. Center aisle freezers still in place. Back row refrigerated display still in place in part of store not walled off.
5. New coolers installed on the new wall on south side of store, beer liquor in that area. New cooler also installed near bakery for deli items.
6. Produce in the same area basically unchanged except for display and lighting. Track lighting gone replaced by hooded warehouse type fixtures.
7. Some flooring changed such as in Produce, Bakery to a faux wood look. Others were changed away from that such as in the freezer isle which is now standard cream color. I did not notice any tacky mismatched flooring.
8. Ceiling lights same fixtures but all new fluorescent lamps. Went from 3500K color temp to 4100k. Ceiling unchanged except for paint.
9. Walls have brighter less creamy color tone.
10 Self checkout removed

Overall impression seemed positive and bustling. Looks brighter and fresher. Both cashiers I encountered were friendly and efficient. The second visit had a bagger who was also friendly. We will see how it holds.

[CalItalian]

I went into the Smart & Final Extra! (former Haggen, former Albertsons) in San Pedro today. I was shocked at HOW LITTLE Smart & Final did with this store (which is pattern with the Haggen stores they purchased). Some of the floor tiles in this store date back to the 80's (and it and the ceiling look like it). The tiles around the exit door are actually broken and cracked. I can't believe they didn't replace them. Some flooring in the store have been replaced (either by Haggen around the cash registers and meat department with faux wood) or by Smart & Final (most in the aisles that have club sized items with white flooring). So, you have a hodgepodge of mismatched flooring and a 1980's style ceiling in this store (and a stinky a/c system).

Really, again, when you walk into this store, it's almost exactly like it was as an Albertsons. Even the flickering light in the beer cooler is just the same as the last time I was in the store.

At 4 pm on Sunday, the store was semi-busy with 5 checkstands open and at least 2 or 3 customers deep in each. Large eggs for .89 was the best grand opening special.

Smart & Final Extra! remodels are just pathetic. Good thing they inherited a few nicer stores (this isn't one of them).

Also, I noticed the Pavilions just down the block has been rebranded as a Vons.

[arizonaguy]

I went into the Smart & Final Extra! (former Haggen, former Albertsons) in San Pedro today. I was shocked at HOW LITTLE Smart & Final did with this store (which is pattern with the Haggen stores they purchased). Some of the floor tiles in this store date back to the 80's (and it and the ceiling look like it). The tiles around the exit door are actually broken and cracked. I can't believe they didn't replace them. Some flooring in the store have been replaced (either by Haggen around the cash registers and meat department with faux wood) or by Smart & Final (most in the aisles that have club sized items with white flooring). So, you have a hodgepodge of mismatched flooring and a 1980's style ceiling in this store (and a stinky a/c system).

Really, again, when you walk into this store, it's almost exactly like it was as an Albertsons. Even the flickering light in the beer cooler is just the same as the last time I was in the store.

At 4 pm on Sunday, the store was semi-busy with 5 checkstands open and at least 2 or 3 customers deep in each. Large eggs for .89 was the best grand opening special.

Smart & Final Extra! remodels are just pathetic. Good thing they inherited a few nicer stores (this isn't one of them).

Also, I noticed the Pavilions just down the block has been rebranded as a Vons.

Smart & Final did a decent job remodeling the buildings of its latest stores in Arizona. I'm shocked that they did next to nothing in California.

Have other Pavilions been rebranded as VONS? There really isn't any difference between VONS and Pavilions anymore, is there? Could they simply be phasing out the Pavilions banner?

[pseudo3d]

I went into the Smart & Final Extra! (former Haggen, former Albertsons) in San Pedro today. I was shocked at HOW LITTLE Smart & Final did with this store (which is pattern with the Haggen stores they purchased). Some of the floor tiles in this store date back to the 80's (and it and the ceiling look like it). The tiles around the exit door are actually broken and cracked. I can't believe they didn't replace them. Some flooring in the store have been replaced (either by Haggen around the cash registers and meat department with faux wood) or by Smart & Final (most in the aisles that have club sized items with white flooring). So, you have a hodgepodge of mismatched flooring and a 1980's style ceiling in this store (and a stinky a/c system).

Really, again, when you walk into this store, it's almost exactly like it was as an Albertsons. Even the flickering light in the beer cooler is just the same as the last time I was in the store.

At 4 pm on Sunday, the store was semi-busy with 5 checkstands open and at least 2 or 3 customers deep in each. Large eggs for .89 was the best grand opening special.

Smart & Final Extra! remodels are just pathetic. Good thing they inherited a few nicer stores (this isn't one of them).

Also, I noticed the Pavilions just down the block has been rebranded as a Vons.

Smart & Final did a decent job remodeling the buildings of its latest stores in Arizona. I'm shocked that they did next to nothing in California.

Have other Pavilions been rebranded as VONS? There really isn't any difference between VONS and Pavilions anymore, is there? Could they simply be phasing out the Pavilions banner?

I'm sure I've mentioned this before in the exact same wording, but Pavilions more or became meaningless under Safeway. I'm not sure what plans Albertsons has for it but they'll likely keep it on at least one store to hold onto the name. Would like to see it to get revived, but I don't think that's likely.