Retail Watchers

Cerberus needs to improve Albertsons before going after Safeway. (remember the Lucky-Albertsons fiasco?)

The problem with an Albertsons or Bashas' buyout is that Safeway is unionized, Albertsons and Bashas' are non-unionized.

I have a feeling that the DC-Baltimore stores will go next, there would be plenty of buyers for those operations.

KingU8ol0Soopers wrote:I just checked their website and it looks like they're using the old "JCPenny" logo on there again.

And now in the ad inserts as well, with the rest of the print in the ads being in the font of the lowercase logo.

I really don't see them selling Vons. It just doesn't make sense, it is strong and a lot of well located stores. There are some weak "pieces" of Vons. Las Vegas and Fresno seem to be weak, but they have closed the majority of the stores in those markets and I expect two more closures in F...

Safeway is the largest chain in AZ by store count, they make money in the small towns where Walmart won't go into. The same situation is in Colorado.

As to an east coast chain buyout- not likely, the eastern chains have been abject failures operating western grocery chains.

In AZ I've seen at Fry's similar private label items having Fry's lettering one time, Kroger the other time (same package design)

I have been noticing some current TV ads for JC Penney...gone is the lower case jcpenney logo...back is the circa 1971 JCPenney logo Could all of the problems with the chain mean the end of the "jcp" flag? (we hope)

7 Fresh & Easys to close in Phoenix

http://www.azcentral.com/video/2665884555001

18 remaining stores is not enough to compete here.

The lone Fry's store in Flagstaff (ex-Smith's) has a similar kitcheware dept.