Safeway NorCal Remodels and New Stores

[storewanderer]

I've used DUG twice at Safeway... it was no different than Smith's or Wally World, however, I find it odd that Vista does not have it yet. Northwest Reno does.

It is not a good idea to implement programs like DUG in stores with prolonged, but slowly improving, serious operational and labor problems like the Vista Store. But I will stress that things in that store, are slowly improving. They have been lucky to slowly get some better employees in there.

Northwest Reno hasn't had it for long either and installing it there was a bit of a leap of faith... I wonder how that one is doing with it. Raleys does a very high volume of eCart on Robb Drive. Wal Mart's pick up is also extremely busy up there. I assume Safeway is trying to pick a few customers off. So is Save Mart with the recent Instacart (?) tie up. So far I have yet to see anyone parked in a Save Mart or Food Maxx pick up space anywhere in Reno/Sparks/Carson City...

The biggest difference between Safeway's DUG and that of Wal Mart and Smiths would be the drastically higher pricing. Unless you get all sale items from Safeway and use a promo for $ off order.

[greenfalcon]

Visited the north Stockton Safeway for the first time in a while. Store opened in 2004 and hasn't had a decor refresh since opening day. What they have done is move things around in a haphazard fashion causing customer confusion.

[lake52]

Safeway has completed a remodel of the Diamond Heights store in San Francisco. I believe this is the first SF proper store to receive a remodel. There are some photos of it on Yelp. It looks very good for what it is, although very abbreviated compared to the Florida decor stores I’ve seen.

The awkward / cramped layouts of these SF stores take some time to design and construct. They’re no cookie cutter lifestyle copy/paste like they can breeze through in the suburbs. It’ll be interesting to see which one they tackle next. I’d put my money on one of the Sunset or Richmond stores.

They also are claiming the South San Francisco new store will be open in 2023 although I don’t believe any vertical construction has started. This will endanger a very high volume but low quality Lucky in San Bruno (the stores will be pretty much back to back).

Edit: I take back the statement on first SF store. Upon further research, the 16th/Bryant and 30th/Noriega stores have also been remodeled although the 16th St store is the most suburban-esque store in the city. 3 down, 12 to go.

[Alpha8472]

The San Bruno Lucky was remodeled a few years ago. The faux wood floor looks very nice. It has the Lucky California decor.

Once Tanforan Mall next to Lucky closes down, the Lucky Supermarket may lose quite a bit of business.

[storewanderer]

I think the San Bruno Lucky is very busy and even if it lost 50% of its volume to Safeway it would still be an above average performing store for Save Mart/Lucky. But it will hurt. They need these high volume stores to make up for their numerous anemic low volume stores.

Also isn't some new housing being considered as part of what is replacing the mall? Maybe I didn't follow the plans too well.

[Alpha8472]

At least 1,000 homes will be built on the former Tanforan property along with office space.

[storewanderer]

At least 1,000 homes will be built on the former Tamforan property along with office space.

I think there will be ample business for the new Safeway and the Lucky. Unless Lucky loses the property to real estate developers. That would not be a good thing for Lucky.