SEATTLE — As Kroger and Albertsons merger talks are ongoing, the grocery giants have released a list of 124 Washington stores that could be impacted.
More stores have the potential to be sold in the Evergreen State than in any other state if the merger goes through, including 16 in Seattle.
Shoppers are sharing their frustrations, and a grocers’ union maintains the move would harm shoppers, suppliers and communities.
For many who shop at the QFC near Seattle Center, it’s more than a grocery store.
“It’s huge because I don’t drive and I can walk here, and they’re my friends by now. I’ve shopped there so many times,” shopper Julie Jameson stated.
“I work at the Seattle Center so it’s easy for me to pop here and get things for the office,” added Cessalee Smith-Stoball outside the Queen Anne store.
But, the future of that grocery store and 123 others across Washington are unclear. Kroger and Albertsons (which own QFC and Safeway, respectively) released a list of stores the companies would plan to divest to S&S wholesale grocers if their proposed merger succeeds.
“It would definitely be inconvenient if I didn’t have a grocery store here,” said Leah Voytovich in Queen Anne.
KOMO News asked Kroger about the potential impact to neighborhoods and workers.
“We’re excited about the opportunities that associates will have with C&S. They’ll have the same pay, benefits and collective bargaining agreements that they have today. Importantly, C&S – along with Kroger – committed that no frontline workers will lose their jobs and no stores will close as a result of the merger, which is also true for stores that remain with Kroger,” spokesperson Erin Rolfes wrote. “To be clear – the stores listed to be divested will not close, they will be run by C&S.”
A coalition of United Food & Commercial Workers unions believes the move would lead to store closures or sales, boosted prices and fewer options for customers. They applaud Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s effort of spending millions of dollars to sue the grocery chains to try to stop the merger.
In a new statement Wednesday, AG Ferguson writes: “It’s obvious this merger will have implications for communities across Washington. We are fighting for competition and affordability for Washington workers and families.”
“The reality is, if the merger were to be approved, then Kroger wouldn’t own those stores anymore, so C&S Wholesale can do anything they want,” explained UFCW 3000 Spokesperson Tom Geiger.
While there are still unanswered questions about what could happen at these stores, some shoppers are grappling with the possibility of losing their neighborhood grocer at a time when many local drug stores already moved out.
“I think it’s difficult when there are so few options, especially for affordable shopping in this area,” Smith-Stoball added. “I definitely understand why mergers happen. I hope this one is being thought out as fully as possible and that the impact to the people is really at the forefront of the decision-making.”
Efforts to block the merger by the FTC and Washington state are ongoing. AG Ferguson’s lawsuit is set for trial in mid-September.
Auburn
- Haggen — 1406 Lake Tapps Pkwy E
- Safeway — 101 Auburn Way S
- *Distribution center: 3520 Pacific Ave S, Auburn
Battle Ground
- Albertsons — 2108 W Main St
- Safeway — 904 W Main St
Belfair
- QFC — 201 NE State Route 300
Bellevue
- QFC — 10116 NE 8th St
- QFC — 2636 Bellevue Way NE
- QFC — 3550 Factoria Blvd SE
- QFC — 15600 NE 8th St Ste K1
- QFC — 1510 145th Pl SE
Bellingham
- Haggen — 2814 Meridian
- Haggen — 1401 12th St
- Haggen — 210 36th St
- Haggen — 2900 Woburn St
- Safeway — 1275 E Sunset Dr
Bonney Lake
- Safeway — 21301 Hwy 410
Bothell
- QFC — 18921 Bothell Way NE
- QFC — 22833 Bothell Everett Hwy
- Safeway — 20711 Bothell Hwy
Bremerton
- Safeway — 1401 NE McWilliams Rd
Burien
- Safeway — 138 SW 148th St
Burlington
Covington
- Safeway — 17023 SE 272nd St
Des Moines
- Safeway — 27035 Pacific Hwy S
East Wenatchee
Edmonds
- QFC — 22828 100th Ave W
Ellensburg
- Safeway — 400 N Ruby St
Enumclaw
Everett
- QFC — 2615 Broadway
- Safeway — 4128 Rucker Ave
- Safeway — 5802 134th Pl SE
Federal Way
- Safeway — 2109 SW 336th St
Ferndale
Gig Harbor
- Albertsons — 11330 51st Ave NW
- Safeway — 4831 Point Fosdick Dr NW
Graham
- Safeway — 10105 224th St E
Issaquah
- QFC — 1540 NW Gilman Blvd
- Safeway — 735 NW Gilman Blvd Ste B
- Safeway — 1451 Highlands Dr NE
Kenmore
- Safeway — 6850 NE Bothell Way
Kent
- QFC — 13304 SE 240th St
- Safeway — 13101 SE Kent-Kangley Rd
Kirkland
- QFC — 11224 NE 124th St
- QFC — 425 Urban Plaza Ste 100
- Safeway — 12519 NE 85th St
- Safeway — 10020 NE 137th St
Lacey
- QFC — 4775 Whitman Ln SE
- Safeway — 4700 Yelm Hwy SE
Lake Stevens
- Safeway — 717 State Route 9 NE
Longview
- Safeway — 2930 Ocean Beach Hwy
Lynnwood
- QFC — 7500 196th St SW Ste B
- Safeway — 19500 Hwy 99
Maple Valley
- QFC — 22131 SE 237th St
- Safeway — 26916 Maple Valley Rd
Marysville
- Haggen — 3711 88th St NE
- Safeway — 1258 State St
Mercer Island
- QFC — 8421 SE 68th St
- QFC — 7823 SE 28th St
Mill Creek
- Safeway — 16304 Bothell-Everett Hwy
Monroe
Mountlake Terrace
Mount Vernon
- Safeway — 315 E College Way
Mukilteo
- QFC — 11700 Mukilteo Speedway
Newcastle
- QFC — 6940 Coal Creek Pkwy SE
North Bend
- QFC — 460 E North Bend Way
Oak Harbor
- Haggen — 31565 State Route 20 #1
Olympia
- Haggen — 1313 Cooper Point Rd SW
- Safeway — 4280 Martin Way E
Port Hadlock
Port Orchard
- Albertsons — 1434 Olney Ave SE
- Safeway — 3355 Bethel Rd SE
- Safeway — 370 SW Sedgwick Rd
Port Townsend
Puyallup
- Safeway — 708 Shaw Rd
- Safeway — 611 S Meridian
Redmond
- QFC — 15800 Redmond Way
- QFC — 8867 161st Ave NE
- QFC — 23475 NE Novelty Hill Rd
- Safeway — 15000 NE 24th
Renton
- QFC — 4800 NE 4th St
- Safeway — 200 S 3rd St
Sammamish
- QFC — 2902 228th Ave SE
Seattle
- QFC — 17847 1st Ave S
- QFC — 1600 W Dravus St
- QFC — 2500 SW Barton St
- QFC — 1401 Broadway
- QFC — 2707 Rainier Ave S
- QFC — 1531 NE 145th St
- QFC — 11100 Roosevelt Way NE
- QFC — 4500 Wallingford Ave N
- QFC — 9999 Holman Rd NW
- QFC — 500 Mercer St
- QFC — 4550 42nd Ave SW
- QFC — 417 Broadway E #2
- QFC — 5700 24th Ave NW
- Safeway — 8340 15th Ave NW
- Safeway — 2622 California Ave SW
- Safeway — 7340 35th Ave NE
Sequim
- QFC — 990 E Washington St
Shelton
- Safeway — 600 Franklin St
Shoreline
- QFC — 600 NW Richmond Beach Rd
Snohomish
- Haggen — 1301 Ave D
- Safeway — 1119 13th St
Spokane
- Safeway — 2509 E 29th Ave
- Safeway — 14020 E Sprague Ave
Stanwood
- QFC — 27008 92nd Ave NW
Tacoma
- QFC — 11104 Pacific Ave S
- QFC — 4101 49th Ave NE
- Safeway — 1624 72nd St E
- Safeway — 2637 N Pearl St
- Safeway — 3842 Bridgeport Way
Tumwater
- Safeway — 705 Trosper Rd SW
- Safeway — 500 Cleveland Ave SE
Vancouver
- QFC — 3505 SE 192nd Ave
- Safeway — 6701 E Mill Plain Blvd
- Safeway — 6711 NE 63rd St
- Safeway — 408 NE 81st St
- Safeway — 2615 NE 112th Ave
- Safeway — 6700 NE 162nd Ave Ste 500
- Safeway — 13023 NE Hwy 99 Ste 1
- Safeway — 3707 N Main St
- Safeway — 14300 NE 20th Ave
Woodinville
- Haggen — 17641 Garden Way NE
Yakima
- Safeway — 5702 Summitview Ave
Check out the full list of affected stores nationwide above.
