Two New Safeway Decor Packages

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Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by rwsandiego »

I was bored last night, so I looked up Safeway and Albertsons small-town locations, Googled them, and amid Lifestyle 2.0 and 1.0 stores I found two that I would call simply "Colorful."

The first store is in Scottsbluff, NE in the Nebraska Panhandle, not far from the Colorado state line. he register lights are Lifestyle, the aisle markers are I-don't-know-what, and the department signs are, well, see for yourself.

The second one is Monte Vista, CO. This one has Lifestyle register lights and aisle markers, but the department signs are plain ol' Helvetica font.

Anyone ever see this before?
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by Super S »

My guess is that Safeway wanted to do low budget remodels for whatever reason. That package looks like a better fit for smaller towns than some of the "cheap" Lifestyle remodels I have seen though.

Most of the small towns aren't concerned about how upscale Safeway looks when they are the only major store in town, maybe Safeway has realized this.
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by rwsandiego »

Super S wrote: February 20th, 2018, 9:59 am My guess is that Safeway wanted to do low budget remodels for whatever reason. That package looks like a better fit for smaller towns than some of the "cheap" Lifestyle remodels I have seen though.

Most of the small towns aren't concerned about how upscale Safeway looks when they are the only major store in town, maybe Safeway has realized this.
Checking the population of the two towns, Monte Vista has less than 5,000 people and Scottsbluff has just under 13,000. However, both are pretty isolated which explains how Scottsbluff got its interior while smaller communities have nicer stores.

I think you are right - the folks in these towns appreciate the fact that they have a grocery store. I suppose I'll have to re-think my indignation that the local Safeway baker never has the rosemary and the kalamata olive bread at the same time. ;)
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by storewanderer »

I wouldn't even call those remodels. More of a repair and maintenance project to give the stores a fresh coat of paint (literally).

Scottsbluff was previously a "value store" with the "Amazin Low Prices" program. It had the standard mid 90's Safeway interior at that time. The aisle hangers are the old ones but they turned them to a yellow color as part of the now defunct "Amazin Low Prices" program. The checkstands appear to have been replaced (probably with used ones from one of the multiple closed Lifestyle Stores around Denver) as the old ones were super old dark brown paneled cashier unload ones.

Scottsbluff also has a late 90's build Albertsons which was sold by LLC to Nash Finish and they didn't operate it long before closing it. Curiously, Nash Finish continued to run the old Albertsons Express Gas Station for many years after closing the main store (they may still be running it).

These stores don't even look like a legitimate chain with these odd cheap non-uniform interiors. They look more like independents running on a shoestring budget limping along. I'm not sure why they bothered to change the decor at all. They may as well have just repainted a fresh coat of paint on the old interiors and left it at that...
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by pseudo3d »

storewanderer wrote: February 20th, 2018, 9:49 pm I wouldn't even call those remodels. More of a repair and maintenance project to give the stores a fresh coat of paint (literally).

Scottsbluff was previously a "value store" with the "Amazin Low Prices" program. It had the standard mid 90's Safeway interior at that time. The aisle hangers are the old ones but they turned them to a yellow color as part of the now defunct "Amazin Low Prices" program. The checkstands appear to have been replaced (probably with used ones from one of the multiple closed Lifestyle Stores around Denver) as the old ones were super old dark brown paneled cashier unload ones.

Scottsbluff also has a late 90's build Albertsons which was sold by LLC to Nash Finish and they didn't operate it long before closing it. Curiously, Nash Finish continued to run the old Albertsons Express Gas Station for many years after closing the main store (they may still be running it).

These stores don't even look like a legitimate chain with these odd cheap non-uniform interiors. They look more like independents running on a shoestring budget limping along. I'm not sure why they bothered to change the decor at all. They may as well have just repainted a fresh coat of paint on the old interiors and left it at that...
At least they gave a uniform replacement to the checkstands, some of the checkstands at the Randalls store were the circular Albertsons ones. The odd "remodels" are really strange, though, but it's easy to forget that Albertsons is one of the few traditional supermarket chains to have stores in big, urban markets and very small ones. (Kroger really doesn't, even H-E-B doesn't, and the closest example is Winn-Dixie).
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by Super S »

pseudo3d wrote: February 21st, 2018, 7:00 pm

At least they gave a uniform replacement to the checkstands, some of the checkstands at the Randalls store were the circular Albertsons ones. The odd "remodels" are really strange, though, but it's easy to forget that Albertsons is one of the few traditional supermarket chains to have stores in big, urban markets and very small ones. (Kroger really doesn't, even H-E-B doesn't, and the closest example is Winn-Dixie).
Safeway (pre-Albertsons) was known for having stores in smaller towns as well as downtown areas. There are many towns along the Oregon coast where Safeway was the only major chain in town for many years.

However, they invest more in some stores than others. Some towns have stores that have received full remodels or new-builds. Others, such as Clatskanie, Oregon get the ultra-cheap Lifestyle remodel which consists of nothing more than a wall repaint and a few new signs but to this day have NO service bakery/deli or pharmacy.
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by wnetmacman »

pseudo3d wrote: February 21st, 2018, 7:00 pm (Kroger really doesn't, even H-E-B doesn't, and the closest example is Winn-Dixie).
You may want to check your Kroger Fact Book again. In several regions, Kroger has stores of all sizes and in multiple town sizes.

This package looks as if it were low, low, paint only budget. Like the colors were on sale.
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by storewanderer »

wnetmacman wrote: February 22nd, 2018, 9:49 am
pseudo3d wrote: February 21st, 2018, 7:00 pm (Kroger really doesn't, even H-E-B doesn't, and the closest example is Winn-Dixie).
You may want to check your Kroger Fact Book again. In several regions, Kroger has stores of all sizes and in multiple town sizes.

This package looks as if it were low, low, paint only budget. Like the colors were on sale.
I agree this package looks terrible. It shows how unhealthy this Denver Division is that they are having to do such poor remodels. It is like they feel the need to do something and this is the best they can do (or all they can afford?)... I know they could have done better just keeping whatever the current package was and freshening it up with some new paint and a good wall scrubbing job though. I wonder what they did to the Safeways in La Junta, CO and Burlington, CO... would really prefer those museums just continue along as they are... they truly are museum pieces and one of a kind.

Kroger has lots of small town stores in some of the divisions (as in, only store in town) but almost none in others (like Ralphs... about the only one is Los Osos, CA). Fred Meyer has some small town stores too, like Brookings, OR. Smiths has numerous small town stores like Wendover, NV, Dayton, NV, Sherwood, NM, Los Alamos, NM, to name a few.
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by rwsandiego »

Ask and ye shall receive, my friend.

La Junta, CO - nothing for at least 25 years

Burlington, CO - ditto.

Museum pieces, indeed.
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Re: Two New Safeway Decor Packages

Post by wnetmacman »

rwsandiego wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 6:59 pm Ask and ye shall receive, my friend.

La Junta, CO - nothing for at least 25 years

Burlington, CO - ditto.

Museum pieces, indeed.
LaJunta is an 80's package. Several Texas stores were sporting it at the 1987 pullout. It does appear that this one has been painted, though. In Texas, they were red in the 80's.
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