More grocery stores converting to Haggen

RENTON, Wash. — A Renton Safeway is closing Tuesday night to be re-branded as a Haggen grocery store.

The Safeway on Northeast Fourth Street will close at 6 p.m. it's the latest in a series of stores that are being re-branded after the Bellingham grocer bought some Safeway and Albertsons stores earlier this year.

Inside, workers are taking a final inventory of merchandise before everything is boxed-up to make way for Haggen items. The Renton store hopes to reopen Thursday at 4 p.m. as a new Haggen store.

As for differences between Haggen and Safeway, Haggen doesn't have a loyalty card program like Safeway does. The company says they have the same low price for everyone.

For customers who are gassing up at Safeway stores that have gas stations, Haggen won't be selling gas. Safeway is in talks with national gas companies to take over the service stations near stores that are changing over to Haggen. Chevron and Texaco stations also give discounts for Safeway shoppers. So if your primary grocery store becomes a Haggen, you won't save on gas unless you shop at another Safeway store.

The north Burien Albertson's on First Avenue South will close Sunday and reopen next Tuesday as a Haggen.

Officials with the company said that 146 stores in five states would be converted.

Federal regulators required the sale of 26 Washington stores to Haggen after Albertsons and Safeway merged.

Three Albertsons and a Safeway have already been converted and 15 stores are being switched during March. The final seven Washington stores are scheduled to change over in June.

The chain is buying and converting 164 grocery stores across the West Coast. Eighty-three stores in California, 20 Oregon stores, and Nevada and Arizona stores will be converted throughout March, April and May.

The company said that during the transformation, each store's employees will be invited to become Haggen employees.

Store officials will hold a public meeting in Renton March 19 to discuss with local leaders what they want sold on store shelves.