Vons in Fresno

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timanny
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Vons in Fresno

Post by timanny »

I've noticed that when you zoom in on a Vons location in Google maps an icon of the Vons logo appears. But for the Fresno stores, despite being labeled as Vons on Google maps, the little icon shows a Safeway logo instead of a Vons logo. As Fresno has been moved to the NorCal division, are there plans to rebrand the stores there to Safeway, and that is why they are showing that way in Google maps, with some sort of GPS info showing them as already Safeway? The Bakersfield stores do not show up this way, and the Las Vegas stores don't show an icon at all, although the LV Albertsons do, and I fully expect the Vons name to be retired in Vegas and those stores to be rebranded Albertsons at some point.
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by HCal »

I see no reason why Fresno would be rebranded, as the Safeway name is not familiar in that market.

I think you're reading far too much into this. Google Maps gathers information from a number of sources, but I doubt the company is giving them any information on their future plans.
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by Alpha8472 »

Safeway made a deal with Save Mart in 1996. Save Mart would get the Fresno Safeway stores in exchange for the Save Mart in Pleasant Hill, California. That was a former 1970s Fry's. That was one of the busiest and largest supermarkets in Contra County at the time. Older Fresno people do remember Safeway and back then Safeway was not as hated and high priced as it is now.
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by storewanderer »

HCal wrote: April 17th, 2022, 5:15 pm I see no reason why Fresno would be rebranded, as the Safeway name is not familiar in that market.

I think you're reading far too much into this. Google Maps gathers information from a number of sources, but I doubt the company is giving them any information on their future plans.
NorCal Safeway runs 2 Vons in Fresno, 2 Vons in Clovis, and 1 Vons in Oakhurst.

My guess is performance is so shaky that a rebrand is probably not something that would be a good investment.

Also in Madera there is a Pak N Save.

Not sure exactly where the first Safeway comes in. I think Modesto.
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by timanny »

I think it's Turlock.
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by storewanderer »

timanny wrote: April 17th, 2022, 8:35 pm I think it's Turlock.
Looks right to me. And they have a manufacturing plant in Merced.

I don't think it would hurt them any if they changed the stores to Safeway. I just don't see them doing it. By the same token it may not cost much to re-banner only 5 stores. They could do it in conjunction with remodels (every one of those 5 stores needs a remodel).
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by Alpha8472 »

How about a rebrand to Pavilions? Too daring?

There is a Safeway in San Ramon with the new Pavilions decor. That decor looks quite good. I prefer it over the Modern Decor (Florida Decor).
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Re: Vons in Fresno

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: April 17th, 2022, 10:10 pm How about a rebrand to Pavilions? Too daring?

There is a Safeway in San Ramon with the new Pavilions decor. That decor looks quite good. I prefer it over the Modern Decor (Florida Decor).
Ralphs shut down Fresno (I'll reserve judgment for if they failed- the Clovis Ralphs did quite well but the Fresno one did not do much business as there wasn't much development around it when it opened) and Save Mart beyond some new stores ran stores that had no capex ever. Albertsons did okay in Fresno, oddly, after they reappeared. Vons had nicer stores but not as nice as Albertsons, but closed most of its stores. Vons easily had better pricing and quality than Save Mart and Albertsons so not sure why they failed, but they did. Probably because they are Vons and Vons is just nothing to get excited about.
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