Both, IMHO, have becaome way too metrosexual lately - jumping on the latest fads, the extravagance of the displays, I don't need an upscale supermarket, just one that gives me a good selection and an honest price.
albertsons and safeway to me are no go zones.
safeway VERY VERY rarely, and albertsons never.
last time i went to safeway was to get a script filled, and they told me it would be 4 hours. nope not gonna do it.
Interesting that Safeway has been in talks with the Kroger/King Soopers/City Markets folks about selling them some stores.
I guess that could still happen.
The force behind this is the ominously sounding Cerberus Capital Management, which just last year purchased Albertson’s and other chains from SuperValu.
It is a real “Umbrella Corporation”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus_Capital_Management
N.B.: Dan Quayle joined Cerberus in 1999 and is chairman of the company’s Global Investments Division.
This is sad for me. My grandmother shopped at Safeway, my mother too, and me. I feel comfortable in their stores. For me, it’s “the way of safety” when I buy their labeled products. Safeway is the only brand I have any loyalty to. I understand it’s irrational, but that’s life. This is sad for me.
Two of the Albertson’s stores in my area closed recently. I prefer Stater Brothers because they don’t use club cards, which I hate. But these days, I do most of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s. These stores are always packed with customers.
The Dude will not be pleased.
Strange, our local Safeway is pretty good. I don’t get scripts filled there. Over the past year and a half or so they’ve put a ton of money into remodeling and upgrading. Doesn’t seem “upscale” to me though. I still see people open carrying, and occasionally ranchers/ranch-hands in there wearing spurs and chaps. (real spurs and chaps, not pervs going to a Village People reunion)
Don’t think we have any Albertsons anywhere in our area. Safeway bought out our Randall’s stores some years ago and have gradually gotten rid of the special things we used to be able to buy at Randalls. My family likes Grape Nuts - Safeway/Randall’s doesn’t carry. Safeway staff are rude and there is absolutely no service. Way too much on the shelves is either sodium free, fat free or gluten free. Only benefit of shopping there is that we get huge discounts on gas.
Albertson’s is ALWAYS the most expensive. The Albertson’s around here (So Cal) are usually empty and they were thinking of closing some stores,
I really like Safeway, and really dislike Albertons (their layout stinks). Knowing how things go for me Safeway will become more Albertons like and there will no longer be any standard grocery store I like (Frys is dirty and employs idiots, and Walmart sells crap masquerading as food).