Safeway has done it again! They've destroyed yet another beloved, locally based chain. This one is in Chicago. Safeway purchased Dominick's 116 store fleet back in 1998. As they did with Genuradi's in the Philadelphia market, Safeway did away with every unique aspect of Dominicks and raised prices in the process. Shoppers completely rejected Safeway's changes, sending sales and profits at Dominick's down the tubes. Safeway attempted to unload the chain but was unsuccessful. In 2006, it launched a $100 million rebranding of the chain and remodeling of stores. The same rebranding and remodeling that was happening at Safeways in other parts of the country. The effort proved to be yet another failure of Safeway and all 72 Dominick's stores were history as of December 28, 2013.
The above images were taken from a video made by a Dominick's employee Steve Yamamoto. He posted the brilliant video on youtube on Friday Decmeber 27. He was suspended from work the next day which just so happened to be Dominick's last day in business. The Huffington Post covered the story this past Sunday. You can read the article by clicking here. Watch the full video below...
This just in >>>
Chain Store Age is reporting that Whole Foods has acquired SIX Dominick's locations. That's a pretty big number considering the chain has only 365 in the entire country. And in even bigger news… Jewel-Osco may be picking up SIXTEEN locations to add to the four they acquired back in October. You can read more about it all on Chain Store Age by clicking here.
To jump back to happier times for Dominick's, check out the video below...
Staring the endearing Elaine Mulqueen who was famous in Chicagoland for her work on local children's television programs.
The same thing is happening to Randall's in the Houston area. Safeway has stripped away nearly every aspect of what Randall's used to be and several stores have closed since the takeover. Safeway failed in Houston once, and they should have learned more from their past.
ReplyDeleteThey did away with Genaurdi's! OH NO! Because the former Genaurdi's in Bensalem, PA is now a Shop-rite, and its across the road from Acme. I really think Shop-Rite is like the savior because it saved a Super Fresh in Fairless Hills, PA(If A&P still owned the store in Fairless Hills, It would be out of business). Thank god for Shop Rite
ReplyDeleteIs it wrong to find "Thanks, Safeway" entertaining? I always can't help but laugh whenever I watch it.
ReplyDeleteI just noticed Safeway made the same change to the Dominick's logo that they made to the Genuardi's logo: they moved the apple in the Genuardi's logo to the right of the name, even though it was originally to the left, and moved the Dominick's "flag" to the right when it also was once to the left. Not sure why Safeway would want to flip the logos considering most Genuardi's and Dominick's stores both had the old logos appearing in so many places (like on all the beverage coolers at the checkouts) and the company never spent money to change the signs on the stores themselves, but rather in advertising made the changes.
ReplyDeleteI found a ton of Dominick's carts in a thrift store in Anniston, Alabama.
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