Peninsula Daily News news sources
Haggen Inc., which purchased the Port Angeles Albertsons earlier this year in a buy that expanded the Bellingham-based company from 18 stores to 146, will close or sell 27 stores — but not the one in Port Angeles.
The only Washington state store slated for closure is in Spanaway, near Tacoma, according to Haggen’s Friday announcement.
Other targeted stores are in California, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.
Most are among the 146 that Haggen bought in advance of a merger between Safeway and Albertsons. The two grocery behemoths were forced by federal regulators to divest the stores in advance of their $9 billion merger.
To get regulatory approval of the merger, the two grocery chains agreed to sell 168 stores to four buyers, one of which was Haggen Inc.
“By making the tough choice to close and sell some stores, we will be able to invest in stores that have the potential to thrive under the Haggen banner,” said Bill Shaner, the executive who leads Haggen’s Pacific Southwest operations, in a statement.
The Port Angeles Haggen Northwest Fresh store is at 114 E. Lauridsen Blvd.
The Seattle Times reported that last month, the company began cutting worker hours in the Seattle area and undertook hundreds of layoffs and work-hour reductions in California, Arizona and Nevada.
Haggen was also sued for $41.1 million by Albertsons, which alleges that Haggen didn’t pay for part of the inventory that came with the stores, The Seattle Times said, adding that Haggen officials say the lawsuit came in response to its own allegations that Albertsons violated the purchase agreement for the stores.
