Over the next five months, 146 stores throughout the West will make the change.
BY JACOB PALMER | OB DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
The aftermath of the Albertsons-Safeway merger will be felt by consumers as Haggen plans to open 146 stores throughout the West after purchasing them in a divestment deal to appease the FTC.
OregonLive.com reported on the transition:
The bulk of the new Haggen stores will change over by July, with one to 12 converting each week. The individual store transitions won’t take long. Each outlet will close for just a few days, at most. The takeovers will include varying degrees of remodels. Each store will feature new interior and exterior signs, as well as a new paint job and likely a rearranged produce department. Flooring will also be replaced at some locations.
Why is the turnaround time so short? One reason is that Haggen will acquire all inventory, Pleva said. So shoppers at newly converted Haggen stores will likely see some Safeway and Albertsons brands on the shelves for the first few weeks. As products are sold off, shoppers will start to see Haggen-branded products replace them.
