Get ready to say Good-bye to Tom Thumb (Dallas, Plano: sale, 2014)

[Adamson865]

http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/20...nclick_check=1

"Safeway Inc. today announced it is in discussions concerning a possible transaction involving the sale of the company. Although the discussions are ongoing, the company has not reached an agreement on a transaction, and there can be no assurance that these discussions will lead to an agreement or a completed transaction. The company will not comment further on these discussions at this time.”

[synchronicity]

Can't see the article without signing up for a free trial, but...

FYI, they recently started closing (may have already closed, actually) all their Dominick's stores in the Chicago area.

Sounds like Safeway has been having some troubles competing. Surprising as they're one of the biggies nationwide.

[Adamson865]

A free trial to the Dallas Morning News website? Huh?

Just go to the DMN webpage then.

[MurphyPl1]

I believe they are completely out of the Chicagoland area now. Lots of big empty spaces apparently. And they are not near the competitive grocery market that Dallas is, nor has their economy rebounded to where there are companies looking for spaces like that.

I'm hopeful that we don't end up with a lot of vacant Tom Thumbs. And unfortunately with the lousy Albertson's brand running them, that's likely to happen. At least with Food Lion we ended up with lots of space for municipal offices, libraries and churches ;-)

[synchronicity]

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

I believe they are completely out of the Chicagoland area now. Lots of big empty spaces apparently. And they are not near the competitive grocery market that Dallas is, nor has their economy rebounded to where there are companies looking for spaces like that.

I'm hopeful that we don't end up with a lot of vacant Tom Thumbs. And unfortunately with the lousy Albertson's brand running them, that's likely to happen. At least with Food Lion we ended up with lots of space for municipal offices, libraries and churches ;-)

My understanding and layman's observation is that Chicago is a very competitive market. Mariano's has been building substantially there. Kroger isn't there and Jewel is the Albertson's placeholder, but there are also many (many!) non-national supermarkets and smaller "produce/grocery" stores (we lived near a Eurofresh and a Caputo & Sons, the latter one of 3 supermarkets owned by that family in the area). Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have substantial presences as well as "The Fresh Market" (a favorite of ours).

That said, my knowledge of that biz is slim and none, heavy on the none.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Bummer! Safeway's brand of individual portion frozen dinners are by far the best available. And quite reasonable in price! I may have to go buy a truck-load.

[Adamson865]

Other than actual Safeway stores which I've shopped at in the West, my experience with their wholly-owned chains (Ralphs, Randalls, and Tom Thumb) has been less than stellar. I've found them rather high-priced, even with my Safeway card. I got off on the wrong thumb with Tom Thumb because I live near what is probably their crummiest store in the metroplex, at N Central and Meadow. Old, tiny, dirty, smelly, with a suspect clientele. I went to one that was somewhat better, but I won't see Tom Thumb going as a major loss.

[move4ward]

A sale may not mean good-bye to Tom Thumb. Companies can change hands and still exist. Disney bought Marvel Comics and Pixar. Both companies are still seen around. Deutsche Telecom bought T-Mobile and now they are selling T-Mobile.

[bigdaddycool1111]

Tom Thumb is a lot better than Kroger or Albertsons. I really hope they stay. A sale doesn't mean it will necessarily close down though, it might just change hands and continue to operate as it is.

[BigDGeek]

We have two Tom Thumbs in Richardson. Both have absurdly high prices compared to other stores around (Super Target, Kroger) and both are understaffed at checkout and as a consequence have ridiculously long lines. I won't be sorry to see them go, though I'd rather have Albertson's or HEB than empty supermarket carcasses. We already have the empty Whole Foods at Belt Line & Coit, the empty Albertson's at Belt Line & Plano Rd, and the soon-to-be-empty Neighborhood Wal-Mart on Coit.