Albertsons Express returning?

[pseudo3d]

The Sherman TX Albertsons recently did a remodel (looks like LLC décor) with most of the usual suspects (Starbucks, sushi counter, a real drive-through pharmacy), but what I found interesting was that they were going to add a fuel dock. A curious move...United and Safeway have their fuel stations, but Albertsons Express has been pretty much extinct since SuperValu and Albertsons LLC sold them off in separate moves. It would make sense for Sherman, as they have a defunct Albertsons Express directly in front of the building. However, this may be the first "new" Albertsons Express in close to a decade. Is it?

[wnetmacman]

The defunct Albertsons Express in front of that store was a simple version; just a kiosk. Valero didn't take any of those; there is a similar one in front of the Alexandria, LA store as well. It's been abandoned since the original Albertsons Express stores closed.

I'm not surprised they are getting back into the fuel business; they weren't bad at it, but it didn't bring the returns they hoped for. Safeway has had greater success with it, mainly because of the card savings.

[pseudo3d]

The defunct Albertsons Express in front of that store was a simple version; just a kiosk. Valero didn't take any of those; there is a similar one in front of the Alexandria, LA store as well. It's been abandoned since the original Albertsons Express stores closed.

I'm not surprised they are getting back into the fuel business; they weren't bad at it, but it didn't bring the returns they hoped for. Safeway has had greater success with it, mainly because of the card savings.

Valero did in fact take several "kiosk" Albertsons Express stores, here's one in Baton Rouge still extant, I'm sure I can find others.

[wnetmacman]

Valero did in fact take several "kiosk" Albertsons Express stores, here's one in Baton Rouge still extant, I'm sure I can find others.

Take a closer look at both. The Baton Rouge store is somewhat wider, and has room to walk inside. It's a small store, but a store none the less.

The kiosk I mentioned in Alexandria and the Sherman location were non-customer entry kiosks. Similar to what Kroger and Murphy USA do. While I have seen others by those two with larger stores, the norm is a small, single employee kiosk, like Sherman.