Come next month, the Albertsons at 3925 236th Ave. N.E. in unincorporated King County near Redmond will be converted to a Haggen.
Deborah Pleva, spokesperson for Haggen, said a specific date for the change is still tentative, but it is looking like sometime in early March.
The Redmond-area store is among 26 Washington stores that will be converted to Haggen stores. Overall, the Bellingham-based company plans to acquire and convert 146 stores in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona in the first half of this year.
WHAT WILL CHANGE AND WHAT WON’T
With the conversion will come a number of changes, but one aspect that will not change is the store’s current employees. Pleva said Haggen has invited all employees to stay on board if they so choose.
“That was a huge part for Haggen,” she said.
Ben Floyd, the store manager for the Albertsons, said he is excited for his roughly 70 store associates.
“Everyone’s coming over,” he said. “We need everyone.”
Floyd said he has a friendly group of associates at the store and their customers are glad that they are all staying on board after the change to Haggen.
“Our customers are just as excited (as our employees),” he said.
Floyd said a change that will be happening with the conversion is the store will be expanding its produce department, which will also feature a larger organic section. He added that under the Haggen banner, his store will also be receiving produce deliveries 6-7 days a week.
“It’s just a great opportunity for the Redmond area,” he said about the conversion.
Pleva said Haggen focuses on sourcing locally and working with regional farmers and other local food producers.
MAKING THEIR MARK IN THE COMMUNITY
Jane Hague, King County Council member who represents areas around Redmond, said she likes Haggen’s commitment to local foods as it will give the store a more neighborhood feel to it.
“I think it will be a fabulous addition to Redmond,” she said. “I think (customers will) get a better sense of community.”
She added that this will help customers view Haggen as “their store.” And Hague is not just talking about her constituents. She is counting herself among the store’s future customers.
“I’ll probably shop there,” she said.
In addition to working with local food producers, Pleva said Haggen also supports the communities where its stores are located and they plan to partner with local nonprofit organizations to support their causes.
“We want to meet with them,” she said. “It’s a way for us to get to know the community and for the community to get to know us.”
Floyd said he is looking forward to continuing existing partnerships his store has with the community, such as those with local food banks. He said this will help the store grow more connected with the area they serve.
A SHORT CLOSURE
Pleva said once the big day to change from Albertsons to Haggen comes, the store will close at 6 p.m. Haggen will take ownership at 12:01 a.m. the next day and the store will remain closed the following day as changes are made throughout the building. The store will reopen the following day, Pleva said.
The main changes will be signage, but she said the store will also receive a fresh coat of paint and in some circumstances, flooring may be changed, as well. In addition, she said, the store’s produce section will be expanded and highlighted. There will also be some changes customers won’t see such as a change in the point-of-sale system at the registers, Pleva said.
While the store will remain closed during the conversion, Pleva said it is their goal to keep the pharmacy open so people have access to any medications they may need.
FROM LOCAL TO REGIONAL
According to a Haggen press release, the company’s acquisitions are part of the divestment process brought about by the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) review of the Albertsons LLC and Safeway merger. The FTC approved the divesture on Jan. 27 and the merger of Albertsons and Safeway Inc. was completed on Jan. 30.
“This momentous acquisition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rapidly expand the Haggen brand across the West Coast,” said John Caple, chairman of the Haggen board of directors and partner at Comvest Partners, a private investment firm that owns the majority share of Haggen, in the release. “Now that the deal has closed, our team is focused on seamlessly converting these 146 stores to the Haggen brand over the next five months.”
Haggen will expand from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies to 164 stores with 106 pharmacies; from 2,000 employees to more than 10,000 employees; and from a Pacific Northwest company with locations in Oregon and Washington to a major regional grocery chain.
“We’re excited about the changes we’re making to enhance these stores and we’re confident customers will like the new look, the new offerings and their new full-service grocery destination,” said John Clougher, Haggen CEO Pacific Northwest, in the press release.
