Albertsons/Vons/Pavilions Cutting Store Hours

[Jeff]

Albertsons Montebello was 6am-11pm, now it's 5am-11pm. It actually expanded op hours by an hour.
Albertsons Vons was 6am-11pm, it didn't change.

So both my local stores really didn't cut hours, with one expanding. Both are busy locations close to each other.

[ClownLoach]

Albertsons Montebello was 6am-11pm, now it's 5am-11pm. It actually expanded op hours by an hour.
Albertsons Vons was 6am-11pm, it didn't change.

So both my local stores really didn't cut hours, with one expanding. Both are busy locations close to each other.

I think this further validates that they hired consultants to mine the available sales, demographic, financial and safety data and redo hours chainwide as needed. This is something I am familiar with Apollo doing at companies they invest in as I said before. So good to see that in some cases they're actually expanding hours where they see the opportunity; if I remember correctly there is a lot of residential development and growth in the Montebello area which would justify the extra operational hours. However, the net is still going to be more reductions than expansions.

[Jeff]

Albertsons Montebello was 6am-11pm, now it's 5am-11pm. It actually expanded op hours by an hour.
Albertsons Vons was 6am-11pm, it didn't change.

So both my local stores really didn't cut hours, with one expanding. Both are busy locations close to each other.

I think this further validates that they hired consultants to mine the available sales, demographic, financial and safety data and redo hours chainwide as needed. This is something I am familiar with Apollo doing at companies they invest in as I said before. So good to see that in some cases they're actually expanding hours where they see the opportunity; if I remember correctly there is a lot of residential development and growth in the Montebello area which would justify the extra operational hours. However, the net is still going to be more reductions than expansions.

Yes. Originally a supermarket and drug store were attached to the project. That was rumored to be Ralphs. They pulled the retail from the development for more open space.

[pseudo3d]

Albertsons Montebello was 6am-11pm, now it's 5am-11pm. It actually expanded op hours by an hour.
Albertsons Vons was 6am-11pm, it didn't change.

So both my local stores really didn't cut hours, with one expanding. Both are busy locations close to each other.

I think this further validates that they hired consultants to mine the available sales, demographic, financial and safety data and redo hours chainwide as needed. This is something I am familiar with Apollo doing at companies they invest in as I said before. So good to see that in some cases they're actually expanding hours where they see the opportunity; if I remember correctly there is a lot of residential development and growth in the Montebello area which would justify the extra operational hours. However, the net is still going to be more reductions than expansions.

The hours are pretty similar to each other and to their competitors. In most of the areas I surveyed, there's nothing at Albertsons that's particularly against Kroger, Walmart, or H-E-B. I'm pretty sure in the late 2010s Albertsons closed up by midnight while Kroger went all night. You don't need a bunch of consultants to determine that to be the case.

[bryceleinan]

Almost all of the retailers, from Walmart to the privately-owned H-E-B cut hours permanently after COVID. Heck, Kroger was cutting back some of its 24 hour stores in 2019.

Yes, but Kroger has been expanding those hours for the last couple years. Albertsons has not.

Except in NorCal Safeway division which for whatever reason still loves 24 hour stores.

In my opinion this being open 24 hours thing is not working anymore. Too much risk, for way too little in sales. My opinion on this applies to convenience stores and drugstores too.

I have heard Smiths will NEVER return to 24 hour operations. I don't recall the last time I encountered any Kroger owned store that was open 24 hours.

For a store like WinCo if they keep 2 employees at front end at all times, chain/gate off the entire drug/HBA aisle, and chain/gate off the entire liquor aisle, they probably have enough traffic to at least break even on the idea.

I’ve heard the same thing about Smith’s - 24 hour stores are dead. I know there’s been some grumbling in Dayton about the hours, especially when the Tesla folks get off duty and bussed back to the Smith’s shopping center.

For Safeway, I know the South Reno (Steamboat/Damonte) store is the one normally open on holidays like Christmas, and maintains 24 hour operations. Not sure if there was some lease requirements - I did hear rumors at one point there were.

[storewanderer]

Yes, but Kroger has been expanding those hours for the last couple years. Albertsons has not.

Except in NorCal Safeway division which for whatever reason still loves 24 hour stores.

In my opinion this being open 24 hours thing is not working anymore. Too much risk, for way too little in sales. My opinion on this applies to convenience stores and drugstores too.

I have heard Smiths will NEVER return to 24 hour operations. I don't recall the last time I encountered any Kroger owned store that was open 24 hours.

For a store like WinCo if they keep 2 employees at front end at all times, chain/gate off the entire drug/HBA aisle, and chain/gate off the entire liquor aisle, they probably have enough traffic to at least break even on the idea.

I’ve heard the same thing about Smith’s - 24 hour stores are dead. I know there’s been some grumbling in Dayton about the hours, especially when the Tesla folks get off duty and bussed back to the Smith’s shopping center.

For Safeway, I know the South Reno (Steamboat/Damonte) store is the one normally open on holidays like Christmas, and maintains 24 hour operations. Not sure if there was some lease requirements - I did hear rumors at one point there were.

That Tesla situation in Dayton is an example of where Smiths may be smart to take a look at the bus schedule and add hours accordingly. Maybe in that store it should be a 5 AM to 2 AM schedule.

Safeway didn't do the 24 hour thing in Reno on New Year's Day/New Year's Eve for 12/31/2023-1/1/2024 (they did the previous year, and all holidays during 2023 were 24 hours until 12/31). They own the building there and nothing in the shopping center CC&Rs dictates their hours. They closed at I think 11 PM on New Year's Eve then opened back up at 5 AM or 6 AM on 1/1. On Christmas they had a surprising amount of customers shopping on 12/25 later in the evening. It wasn't "busy" but it definitely had more traffic than usual but transactions also looked smaller than usual. During the day it was a crazy place. There were a limited number of stores designated for that 24 hours on all holidays thing in NorCal; Truckee, South Lake Tahoe, also did that. I think Kings Beach/Zephyr Cove may have also. There were a few in the bay area too. Given the current shoplifting situation they probably need to either close by Midnight or add security in Reno/Sparks. If that newly opened ER thing gets enough traffic it may help get them more sales during the overnight but hopefully won't bring additional issues/thefts. But those ERs are dead in NW Reno/Spanish Springs so I'm not sure how much traffic that will bring the store overnight. Maybe the 24 hour schedule is still "safe" in Tahoe.

Safeway has always been open on Christmas in Reno/Tahoe. That has been going on since the early 90's at least, if not longer. It started as 8 AM to 5 PM, most departments closed, and staffed by volunteers/you weren't forced to work. The distant stores like Carson City and Fallon would typically be closed on Christmas Day.

[storewanderer]

This 10 PM closing is not working in SoCal around Los Angeles in my opinion. Some stores do not even have hours posted (???) and many customers are still trying to go in at 10 PM.

I guess people will figure it out and quit trying to shop there...

Meanwhile Ralphs closing at 1 AM is doing thousands in sales per hour after 10 PM... around Los Angeles anyway.

[Alpha8472]

Safeway in Northern California luckily is still open until Midnight. Some are open until 2 AM. A small number are open 24 hours.

Lucky is mostly open until 11 PM except for the Lucky stores in really bad areas such as Oakland. Those close at 10 PM, but are very rare.

Sprouts is open until 10 PM. Grocery Outlet and Dollar Tree are open until 9 or 10. The ones in rough neighborhoods close at 9 PM.

Is it because shoplifting is higher in Southern California? Outside of San Francisco or Oakland, Safeway seems pretty safe from shoplifting.

[storewanderer]

Safeway in Northern California luckily is still open until Midnight. Some are open until 2 AM. A small number are open 24 hours.

Lucky is mostly open until 11 PM except for the Lucky stores in really bad areas such as Oakland. Those close at 10 PM, but are very rare.

Sprouts is open until 10 PM. Grocery Outlet and Dollar Tree are open until 9 or 10. The ones in rough neighborhoods close at 9 PM.

Is it because shoplifting is higher in Southern California? Outside of San Francisco or Oakland, Safeway seems pretty safe from shoplifting.

Ralphs seems to be open universally until 1 AM. The drugstores are open late with many 11 PM + Rite Aids. There are lots of people out late at night in SoCal around Los Angeles. Probably less so in outer markets like Palm Springs or San Luis Obispo where a 10 PM closing may be appropriate some times of the year.

AZ/Las Vegas Albertsons/Safeway/Vons has been doing the 10 PM closing time since COVID and never went back. I think SoCal Division is taking (bad) ideas from them.

[ClownLoach]

Safeway in Northern California luckily is still open until Midnight. Some are open until 2 AM. A small number are open 24 hours.

Lucky is mostly open until 11 PM except for the Lucky stores in really bad areas such as Oakland. Those close at 10 PM, but are very rare.

Sprouts is open until 10 PM. Grocery Outlet and Dollar Tree are open until 9 or 10. The ones in rough neighborhoods close at 9 PM.

Is it because shoplifting is higher in Southern California? Outside of San Francisco or Oakland, Safeway seems pretty safe from shoplifting.

Ralphs seems to be open universally until 1 AM. The drugstores are open late with many 11 PM + Rite Aids. There are lots of people out late at night in SoCal around Los Angeles. Probably less so in outer markets like Palm Springs or San Luis Obispo where a 10 PM closing may be appropriate some times of the year.

AZ/Las Vegas Albertsons/Safeway/Vons has been doing the 10 PM closing time since COVID and never went back. I think SoCal Division is taking (bad) ideas from them.

Our rather remote Ralphs in our sleepy little town is not on any major arterial and they're doing fine being open till 1am. I think they're taking advantage of the fact that most competitors didn't restore their extended hours after COVID.

The Safeway/Albertsons hour games are right out of the Accenture playbook. They offer a store hours optimization service where they tell you how to change your hours of operation based on some wacky algorithms and traffic studies they do. Apollo most likely made Albertsons use this service to save money.

I also wonder how Albertsons is currently stocking stores. The locations closing at 10pm do not appear to have a stocking crew arriving at that time. I wonder if they are trying some sort of early morning stocking instead currently, like 2am or 3am, with shorter shifts. Ralphs seems to have crews arrive at 10pm pulling the pallets to the floor.

And SLO? Don't forget the University. Every grocery store there has late night beer business and lots of it. 10pm close there? Might as well just close the store.