Retail Watchers

Wenatchee (1128 N. Miller) is closing tomorrow evening for re-conversion to Albertsons.

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/201 ... lbertsons/

Bend is closed and in the process of converting both locations at once back to Albertsons:
http://www.ktvz.com/news/bends-two-hagg ... n/39948960

pseudo3d wrote:News!

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/30 ... -next-week

Some highlights/remarks:
- The store conversion in Lake Oswego will take more than a week, more time than Haggen took to convert Albertsons.
- It will add a kombucha station to the store. I'm not sure of any other stores that have that feature.
- It will also add a second loading dock to the store, which sounds more expensive and substantial than just a face-lift.
- The store will "keep serving three customer-favorite Haggen bakery items: scones, cinnamon swirl bread and jumbo cinnamon rolls", much like the Paul's doughnuts.
- I'm a little surprised that they're doing this when there are still closed Haggen stores yet to reopen.

Saw the cinnamon rolls today. Didn't see the kombucha (or beer growler) station. There were a few shipping crates in the store parking lot, likely to be the continued construction work.

Store got an LLC makeover. It was pretty zzzzzzzzz to me, but busier than it was as Haggen. Still has all the weird entrances and kept a few of the improvements Haggen made. Butcher block clerk made an announcement, obviously slipped and called the store Haggen then added "Albertsons." No Haggen private label left. Either that stuff is going to end up in Grocery Outlet soon or was sent back to warehouse to move in the remaining Haggen stores. A friend informed me the signs are changed at the other Portland-area location (Tigard/Beaverton border) so no more Haggen in the Portland, Ore. market.

Photos (and updated Yelp): Albertsons Lake Oswego

SamSpade wrote:

pseudo3d wrote:News!

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/30 ... -next-week

Some highlights/remarks:
- The store conversion in Lake Oswego will take more than a week, more time than Haggen took to convert Albertsons.
- It will add a kombucha station to the store. I'm not sure of any other stores that have that feature.
- It will also add a second loading dock to the store, which sounds more expensive and substantial than just a face-lift.
- The store will "keep serving three customer-favorite Haggen bakery items: scones, cinnamon swirl bread and jumbo cinnamon rolls", much like the Paul's doughnuts.
- I'm a little surprised that they're doing this when there are still closed Haggen stores yet to reopen.

Saw the cinnamon rolls today. Didn't see the kombucha (or beer growler) station. There were a few shipping crates in the store parking lot, likely to be the continued construction work.

Store got an LLC makeover. It was pretty zzzzzzzzz to me, but busier than it was as Haggen. Still has all the weird entrances and kept a few of the improvements Haggen made. Butcher block clerk made an announcement, obviously slipped and called the store Haggen then added "Albertsons." No Haggen private label left. Either that stuff is going to end up in Grocery Outlet soon or was sent back to warehouse to move in the remaining Haggen stores. A friend informed me the signs are changed at the other Portland-area location (Tigard/Beaverton border) so no more Haggen in the Portland, Ore. market.

Photos (and updated Yelp): Albertsons Lake Oswego

This looks like a very old store and had been an Albertsons for decades, even going back to a brief time when Albertsons had its own "Marina" type stores.

pseudo3d wrote:This looks like a very old store and had been an Albertsons for decades, even going back to a brief time when Albertsons had its own "Marina" type stores.

Hidden bowed roof with a modified LLC remodel. Interesting. I've only seen live newer Albertsons stores with this remodel, and they were all done the same way. This is a narrower band of decor around the store to fit its smaller size.

wnetmacman wrote:

pseudo3d wrote:This looks like a very old store and had been an Albertsons for decades, even going back to a brief time when Albertsons had its own "Marina" type stores.

Hidden bowed roof with a modified LLC remodel. Interesting. I've only seen live newer Albertsons stores with this remodel, and they were all done the same way. This is a narrower band of decor around the store to fit its smaller size.

I actually don't know if it was an Albertsons all this time, I was mostly asking. I think it was because I wrote that post before coffee, personally.

I'd venture Lake Oswego was an Albertsons all along, just expanded (maybe a few times) along the way.

Grants Pass reopened, consumers seem happy with it reverting to Albertsons, even though there was a Safeway a mile away.

http://www.kdrv.com/news/Grants_Pass_Ha ... Again.html

I think that Safeway is a non-lifestyle store... not a great performer. May do better since Rays closed.

Grants Pass has a lot of competition, this reopened Albertsons is a bit out of town and isolated from the war zone that is Fred Meyer, WinCo (soon?) and Wal Mart Supercenter.

I know this is becoming more of a Groceteria thread now, but you just have to wonder, what changed in Haggen between 1999 and 2014?
Haggen succeeds with build, not buy, approach

While the company has purchased some existing stores and converted them, Haggen prefers the method of organic growth, industry parlance for expansion via new construction, as the more effective, long-term strategy. Taking over a competitor's bricks and mortar is a faster way to market, but too often that means assuming a B-grade site, according to Henley.