Groceteria.com

Was the "Pak n Save" (owned by Safeway) in Emeryville an Albertsons? The store is at 3889 San Pablo Ave. I suspect it was built as an Albertsons around 2000 but was sold to Pak n Save in 2002. This store's ceiling design, including its white fire sprinklers, make me wonder, but the decor is unfamiliar to me. And I'm surprised such a new store would have been made into a low-end concept like Pak n Save. But this store reminds me of an Albertsons in Houston which was built in a lower income neighborhood as "urban renewal". When it closed not long after, it became a "Food Town" without any bells or whistles. Both stores look rather generic.

This store opened ca. 1994 as a Pak 'n Save. Emeryville at that time was a less than prosperous area (still is on some level) which may explain the format choice. It also occurred during a period when Safeway was still somewhat actively developing Pan 'n Save with new builds, although this was never a huge format for them:

http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtop ... f=27&t=176

Is it possible it was remodeled around 2000? The decor it has now is similar to but different from what most Genuardi's had as of 2001. I'm not sure if this Genuardi's decor was added by Safeway or not though.

That is probably one of 4 or 5 still operating Pak N Saves.

Others are probably in Oakland, South San Francisco, Madera, and ... I don't know.

Most Pak N Saves got remodels in the early 00's to a white wall decor with colorful somewhat creative font signage.

I understand the area is high crime, but this center was built as urban renewal. Pak n Save is the only "no name" store in the center, albeit owned by Safeway. Didn't Safeway have a high-end format (in Baltimore/DC anyway) called "Marketplace" in the 90's? Because of that it seems weird how they didn't call the Emeryville store a regular Safeway. Now all Safeway stores have a more upscale look since the Lifestyle remodels, so the Marketplace name is gone. And around the same time as the Lifestyle remodels started, Kroger introduced a format called Marketplace...

There were Albertson's stores

1. Jupiter (original) 95 S US Highway 1, Jupiter, Florida 33477, opened in 1987 and closed in the early 90's , when Publix took over they left some things from Albertsons , the original tenant

the later and final Jupiter, Jonathan's Landing, 17400 N Alternate A1a FL 33477 opened in 1997 when they made a comeback after the year Winn-Dixie closed
the Albertson's was a late 90's Plaza store inside might been Blue and Gray Market or the late 90's interior , Now Publix

Palm Beach Gardens, opened in 2001 to replace an older location which opened in 1987 , which is now Ross and Tiger Direct
the newer 2001 had a the early 2000's Plaza/Clarendon font Interior , I also remembered a freestanding Pharmacy , the Milk and frozen foods , in the back right , I also remember the Beverage Boulevard and the Snack sign, the store retained until the store closed in 2008 , across the street, there is a Winn-Dixie, and a Publix close to I-95
West Palm Beach, 1901 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL opened in 1981, later remodeled to the late 80's- late 90's Blue, red and Gray interior,

Lake Worth, opened in 1978, later remodeled to the late 80's- late 90's Blue, red and Gray interior, maybe , In the 2000's the store was remodeled to the Industrial Circus, Interior , which is now Supermercado El Bodegon

From reading Yelp reviews, it seems Pak n Save is being eliminated as well, remodeling into normal Safeway stores. Given Albertsons Cos. apparent dislike for self-checkouts, and Pak n Save not even listed on their list of brands (it shows Lucky and Super Saver), I can imagine that it won't be kept.

As for former Albertsons, all the PnS stores had warehouse-style stores, of which Albertsons never had.

pseudo3d wrote:From reading Yelp reviews, it seems Pak n Save is being eliminated as well, remodeling into normal Safeway stores. Given Albertsons Cos. apparent dislike for self-checkouts, and Pak n Save not even listed on their list of brands (it shows Lucky and Super Saver), I can imagine that it won't be kept.

As for former Albertsons, all the PnS stores had warehouse-style stores, of which Albertsons never had.

The South San Francisco one recently completed a remodel where the decor inside now conforms to the Lifestyle package (and even has "Thank You For Shopping At Safeway" wall text) but a brand new Pak N Save sign was put up on the front...this time with a Safeway logo adjacent to it! I'll try to put up a photo when I get a chance.

Really? I remember reading that one of the Pak N Save stores in the last few years had been remodeled into a regular Lifestyle Safeway, though I have seen that modified logo around.

There aren't any good pictures of the interior but the interior seems different from a regular Lifestyle remodel. Could be the angles, however...

Seem like a regular Safeway by adding Starbucks. You don't usually see a Starbucks in a warehouse format store!

I believe the Pak N Save stores may have a separate labor agreement from the traditional Safeway stores, which may make renaming them problematic.

TheStranger wrote:The South San Francisco one recently completed a remodel where the decor inside now conforms to the Lifestyle package (and even has "Thank You For Shopping At Safeway" wall text) but a brand new Pak N Save sign was put up on the front...this time with a Safeway logo adjacent to it! I'll try to put up a photo when I get a chance.

steps wrote:There aren't any good pictures of the interior but the interior seems different from a regular Lifestyle remodel. Could be the angles, however...

I think the sheer scale of the South San Francisco store (a former KMart if I am not mistaken) and the retention of a finished concrete floor do much to give off a different vibe. The layout also is not too different from before the Safeway branding was added, which seems to only have happened in the last 2-3 weeks.

The other Safeway remaining in town - dating back to the early 70s - still retains a wonderful 1980s decor package.

There was a third store (ex-White Front/Brentwood - Brentwood is the company Safeway bought that originally developed the PNS package, and whose original store, now a Smart & Final is in SSF across from this location) that closed last year at El Camino and South Spruce, with Safeway planning to return once the shopping center there is redeveloped into a condo with first-floor retail.

Groceteria wrote:I believe the Pak N Save stores may have a separate labor agreement from the traditional Safeway stores, which may make renaming them problematic.

TheStranger wrote:The South San Francisco one recently completed a remodel where the decor inside now conforms to the Lifestyle package (and even has "Thank You For Shopping At Safeway" wall text) but a brand new Pak N Save sign was put up on the front...this time with a Safeway logo adjacent to it! I'll try to put up a photo when I get a chance.

Yeah, unions do play a part in not renaming the stores...Bruno's kept at least one of the warehouse style stores that way to almost the end, even though it was a regular store in every single way but name by that time.

Here's the new on-store signage for Pak 'n Save in South San Francisco, with the Safeway text:

TheStranger wrote:Here's the new on-store signage for Pak 'n Save in South San Francisco, with the Safeway text:

An update: As of this past Sunday (January 10) this store is now a full-blown Safeway. I'll post a photo when I get a chance