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The store near me has a much better layout than the neighboring Albertson's. The meats are far superior, and most importantly the store personel are much more friendly.
I guess it all depends on the store where you go. I've found
the folks working at Albertsons at Academy and Tramway to
be very helpful and friendly.
Also: folding Raley's into Albertson's might have a positive
effect on them.
In the Phoenix area, there is a store called AJ's which is a hugely
upscale grocery that is a premium brand of a chain called Basha's.
(There is an AJ's in Tucson, also.)
The Safeway's in the area have been rapidly upgrading to a nicer
look and feel (I think) because of the popularity of AJ's.
If Albertson's is smart, they will learn from the chain and either
keep it as an upscale brand or incorporate some ideas into its'
local stores.
I was also bummed out by Raley's closing. I really liked their meat, bakery, produce & service. I went to the grand re-opening celebration at the former Raley's at Juan Tabo & Candelaria. There were many Albertson's managers in the store that AM, visiting from other stores. The inside of the former Raley's stayed mostly the same, and I heard several comments from the visiting Albertson's managers that this store was beautiful and that they wanted to keep the store as similar as possible to the original Raley's format (notable exception -the Angus beef, we wrote this as a suggestion).
Maybe they will keep the best former Raley's stores as upscale Albertsons. I'm going to check out the Raley's on Paseo to see how that one fared after the conversion.
BTW, I agree that the Albertson's by Academy & Tramway has decent service. I think its similar to the nearby Smith's at Juan Tabo & Eubank.
I grew up in San Antonio TX and also lived in Austin before moving to ABQ. I had SERIOUS withdrawal pains from HEB and also Central Market. HEB had cheap prices like Walmart, but better meat, service & produce. I went to Central Market way more than the flagship Whole Foods in Austin. ABQ does not know what they are missing by not having any HEBs around!
I finally stopped at the Juan Tabo & Candelaria store last night.
I wanted to pick up some salad veggies.
The lettice was so limp, I'm wondering what was Albertson's even thinking puting out such limp junk for produce. Like, why bother?
Apparently, Albertson's did not keep going what Raley's had concerning the quality of produce and continuously stocking Angus meats. It's what the Raley's customers came there for: The decent produce and the Angus meats. Why discontinue this for one day if the store wants to serve the customers is not understood.
And, the store was not as clean as when Raley's had the store, and that smell that comes from the meat & dairy area at the Lomas & Juan Tabo Albertsons, it was just starting up at this location, too.
Therefore, Albertson's, unless I hear via rumor that your management has brought up to an acceptable standard this store like it used to be and also start stocking Angus meats, then, Wild Oats, Smiths, Keller's, and Costco will be the places. Too bad, 'cause this was such a nice store before, but ya'll had to blow it, eh?
You said you shopped at the late Raley's on Juan Tabo/Candelaria on the 27th and so did I.
A poster on the other Raley's thread said that not much had changed there, and in terms of the employees who remain and their good attitude, I agree.
In terms of product though, Albertson's, for me, is already inferior. I found this in the produce and seafood areas especially. Only a couple of kinds of shrimp. (The clerk rang up those on special for $6.99 lb. as $9.99 lb. When I went back to her about it, she ASKED ME "what is the price?" Now that is a service issue but I can't imagine that would have happened when the store was Raley's.)
OK, back to the produce. No arugula, no crimini mushrooms. I asked the clerk where are the peanuts (in the shell). He showed me to a few bags and said Albertsons would no longer carry them, those were leftover from Raley's.
Peanuts in the shell! I feed these to blue jays and go through bags a week.
I don't eat meat, so am not familiar with the availability of the beef.
The lines were long and one of the customers said in a loud voice "Welcome to Albertsons!" in a sarcastic way. Others were complaining about empty shelves in the cleaning products section.
I went to the Albertsons on JuanTabo/Lomas once. That was enough.
Mortimer on this thread said Albertson's on Tramway/Academy was a good store and it seems to be. The inside is being redone. They have product there though, that is not available at JT/C.
I'm equidistant from JT/C and T/A. So far I'll go mostly to JT/C mostly because of the people and that they still unload the carts and provide carry out.
Sheesh, it feels good to rant a bit! I'm hoping Wegman's moves into the abandoned Lomas/Tramway Raley's.
I generally don't like Albertson's at all so I'm totally bummed that my Raley's will turn into an Albertson's.
If I had my way I'd shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's exclusively but they aren't on the West Side or in Rio Rancho even though there are rumors they will be -- that could be another couple of years. I don't like Sunflower or Wild Oats either. Guess I am just really picky. :-)
I went into the Raley's by my house the same day things were announced and do you know that they didn't even tell their own employees!!! The employees heard it over the news just like everyone else. I thought that was an extremely poor management decision.
That does not surprise me at all:
The Bullhead City Az. Albertsons gave its employees one week of notice prior to closing that store in early 2006
It really hacked me off being that I lived equidistant between it and Wal-Mart-------needless to say: I do not support the latter so Smiths (Kroger) got my business by default.
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