Haggen announced today it will close its Anthem location along with four other stores in Arizona and 16 in California. The Anthem closure, which will happen in 60 days, comes less than three months after its opening, making it perhaps the largest and fastest failure in Anthem’s business history.
Between 2011 and 2014, Haggen closed a dozen underperforming locations in the Pacific Northwest. Poised for growth, the company then grabbed 146 of the 168 grocery stores jettisoned as a result of the Safeway/Albertson’s merger, including the Anthem Safeway.
In a press release, the West Coast grocer said it was planning to close 21 locations, most of which were part of the 2015 acquisition. Additional stores closings and sales are on the horizon as Haggen struggles to find its perfect size.
The number of jobs affected by the closings has not yet been determined, but an employee of the local Haggen told In&Out that as many as 30 employees had been laid off prior to the announcement, leaving approximately 20 to run the grocery store.
“Haggen’s goal going forward is to ensure a stable, healthy company that will benefit our customers, associates, vendors, creditors, stakeholders as well as the communities we serve,” said Haggen CEO Pacific Southwest, Bill Shaner. “By making the tough choice to close and sell some stores, we will be able to invest in stores that have the potential to thrive under the Haggen banner.”