Boise ID

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kr.abs.swy
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Re: Boise ID

Post by kr.abs.swy »

That Paul's store, as I recall, opened about five years ago. My memories are very foggy, but I believe that was originally a Buttrey location. I vaguely recall seeing an IGA SuperCenter sign (or some other independent, but I'm fairly sure it was IGA) on that building around 2001, but the store was vacant.

I have seen in-store pizza added to a couple Eastern Idaho Albertsons stores after getting the SuperValu interior. Some of the stores in Boise used to allow you to drop off your dry cleaning and then pick it up at the store after it was cleaned. That experiment didn't last too long. I remember they offered that after the 1600 State store was remodeled and it seems like some of the new "Grocery Palace" stores offered it for a time. Albertsons tried all kinds of things in the early 2000s ... the store on Eagle Road used to have a Garden Center. I don't know if it still does. The Bogus Basin Sav-On store was the poster child for a bold experiment. One thing that always surprised me was how few of those Albertsons stores had in-store banks. Some did, but not as many as I would have expected.

The Franklin and Orchard site does have a new Fred Meyer on it -- this store is probably five or six years old. I remember seeing a LifeLink Food Source sign on the former Albertsons on that site before it was demolished, but the store was closed.

I'm sorry to stray too close into current events but can't help myself. Wal-Mart opened several new stores in Boise since 2000 and there have been a couple new Fred Meyers open. Yet no Albertsons stores have closed and the few independents that have closed (M&W Market is the main one that comes to mind) were not major competitors; the other chains that once had Boise stores (Safeway, Smith's Food King and Buttrey) are all looonnnngggg gone. I suspect that SuperValu is holding off on closing stores to avoid rocking the boat too shortly after buying up most of the chain, but I suspect that some of those stores' days are numbered. That said, I'd have a hard time picking which ones, but would consider starting with 7100 State (close to Freddy's and Wal-Mart) and 10000 Overland (old-ish location, close to Freddy's and not far from Wal-Mart). Of course, I'm not privy to lease/ownership details. Regardless, when I moved to Boise in 1999, there was only a conventional Wal-Mart; they built several stores after I got there, so the marketplace has become much more crowded.

One other note: The 2000 Overland store (the former Safeway) still had the arched Safeway ceiling and the 1980s Albertsons decor package when it was replaced with the new store in the 2000s. It was the only store in Boise proper to retain that interior after the turn of the century, although the Ontario store still had that interior for a few more years (but it has since been added on to and remodeled). It was fun to go into that store ...
Super S
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Re: Boise ID

Post by Super S »

A couple things..

The Broadway store had another somewhat unique interior after its 1980s remodel. While it had the same lettering and wood trim as the Twin Falls store pictured, and was also similar to the 1980s interior used at the Vista & Overland store mentioned, as well as many others, the Broadway store actually had pictures on the walls next to the department names instead of the stripes used in most of these. It seems that Broadway was the first store to use that package, and I remember when the Eastgate store was remodeled not too long after it had the stripes instead of the pictures. I have not seen another Albertsons use that interior with the pictures.

Another interesting note...I discussed this elsewhere at one point. Albertsons pretty much stayed away from their "Marina" designs in Boise stores that were originally built by them. (unless all of these were rebuilt by the time I moved there) The one exception MIGHT be the now-demolished Franklin store. While I do remember that this was an older store, I also remember it did not have a suspended ceiling. However, I believe the ceiling was a flat style with exposed beams, similar to the original portion of the Broadway store.

The Overland & Vista store was always interesting. Albertsons not only kept the Safeway interior for a couple years, they even kept Safeway's cash register system (Datachecker?) instead of switching to the NCR setup that most Albertsons used.
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Re: Boise ID

Post by Super S »

I passed through Boise today. Did not get to go inside any Albertsons, but did drive by the Broadway store. I was a little behind schedule so did not see what I hoped I would.

The Broadway store I took a very close look at from the outside as I drove by. I could see the interior and it looked as though they have removed many of the fluorescent tubes, it looked dark in there. I also noted that the road sign has done away with the "Broadway Market" signage, but the store itself retains it. To the west, I noticed some of the houses have been removed and the lot cleared off which made me wonder if a new store is in the works for this location. Some houses were moved for the 80s remodel. I also noted quite a few vacant spaces in the shopping center which made me also wonder about a rebuild. The store itself did not seem busy at all.
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Re: Boise ID

Post by Super S »

I was fortunate enough to visit Boise for a second time, and had a chance to visit the Broadway store, and a few others this time.

Albertsons:
The Broadway store had all of its lights intact, in contrast to my last observation. I noticed a few other changes from the 1980s version I remember, mainly the doors being moved to the center of the front, and the old doors being filled in by bricks, apparently to accomodate the pharmacy. Also, the old tiles on the ceiling of the original portion were either removed or sheetrocked over and painted, the original light fixtures were also updated. Overall a nice remodel.

The State Street store is by far the nicest remodel Albertsons has done.

The former Buttrey in the Hillcrest shopping center has been gutted and redone.

The former Eastgate store is half Sports Authority, half Hastings. Sports Authority has the original ceiling and lights, but a newer entrance. Hastings retained the original Albertsons entrance and lights.
Rite Aid:

Vista, former Albertsons. Tiles on floor have not been updated, interior has been repainted. Outside has been updated. I also drove around back and discovered something I never knew, this was an Albertsons Marina. They hid the original ceiling inside very well back when Skagge owned the place.


Eastgate Center. Fully stocked, nothing walled off. Pharmacy still in original location, updated interior, and a St. Alphonsus Hospital Urgent Care facility.

State Street, former Safeway. Updated interior, also has the Urgent Care. Noticed outside they left the original light fixtures intact and ran conduit to fluorescent fictures nearby which looked tacky.

Also stopped at lagrande, OR at a Rite Aid. horrific, old PayLess interior, about 1/3 blocked by shelves. Noticed lights were unusual, although rthe store has a suspended ceiling the lights are hanging from conduit.

Fred Meyer has updated their stores.

Kmart on fairview is just like any other kmart.

Shopko has updated lighting to recessed type and has done some repainting.

Also noticed a former Smiths on Overland that still had the original sign, although it is empty.
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Re: Boise ID

Post by Super S »

I did not realize I had this picture, but found this tonight. This is a picture I took of the Broadway Albertsons shortly after its mid-1980s remodel.
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fredmeyer100
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Re: Boise ID

Post by fredmeyer100 »

kr.abs.swy wrote:That Paul's store, as I recall, opened about five years ago. My memories are very foggy, but I believe that was originally a Buttrey location. I vaguely recall seeing an IGA SuperCenter sign (or some other independent, but I'm fairly sure it was IGA) on that building around 2001, but the store was vacant.
Years back I looked at old Idaho Statesman papers from the 1990s at the Boise Library and found ads that said the Paul's store was (if I remember right) an Albertsons at one time, then it was a couple independents (Stokes and Gordon's Groceries & Sporting Goods) and it sat vacant from about 1999 to 2004 then it was Paul's
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storewanderer
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Re: Boise ID

Post by storewanderer »

The layout of that Paul's was way, way off for being an Albertsons. But it is certainly possible whoever was trying to sell sporting goods and groceries there reconfigured departments and did some other strange stuff to it after Albertsons left the site. My first impression of the store (before walking in) was that this was a former Albertsons.

Is it possible it was a Safeway and then became those independents?

It could play for being a larger early 80's Safeway.
Photobucket now allows for comments on each photo! http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/StoreWest/
Super S
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Re: Boise ID

Post by Super S »

Just thought I would mention this regarding KBCI-TV, the TV station located in the former Buttrey store on 16th. The station recently changed back, after over 30 years, to their original call letters KBOI. The KBCI letters basically came about when they sawed a section out of the "O" which was on the side of the original studio. (of which I have not found a whole lot of information or photos on, but that is a subject for another forum)

http://www.kboi2.com/news/83254362.html
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