Grocery Store Changes May Be Ahead in Highline Area as Merger Announced

Merger of Safeway and Kroger would result in local store divestitures.

If the proposed merger of Kroger (owner of QFC, Fred Meyer, and many other grocery chains around the country) and Safeway (which had previously merged with Albertsons is completed, there could be some significant changes at several grocery stores in the Highline area, including the renaming and new ownership of three local stores.

Affected by the Proposed Merger:

• Safeway at 148th and 1st Avenue South, Burien
• Safeway at 27035 Pacific Hwy S, Des Moines
• QFC — 17847 1st Ave S, Normandy Park (listed as Seattle in the list)

Not included on the Merger List:

• Safeway at 128th and First,
• Safeway at McMicken Heights in Seatac
• Fred Meyer stores in Burien, on First Avenue, and in Kent on Pacific Highway. 

The Seattle Times published a story online on July 9, linked to here, (print article on July 10) that outlines changes in Seattle and some other areas, but does not provide details about the Highline area. The Times story links to this list of 124 stores in the state provided by Kroger. 

The US Federal Trade Commission and several state attorney generals, including Washington AG Bob Ferguson, are both pursuing legal action. Much of the country does not see as much overlap between Safeway and Kroger as here in Washington State.

Under proposed terms of the merger, the combined company would divest locations without sufficient competition to meet the concerns of regulators. The new owner is C & S Wholesale Grocers, a company based on the East Coast.

Would merging enable Safeway, QFC, and Fred Meyer to better compete against Walmart and Costco? Or would there be reduced consumer choice, with higher prices?  

If the merger takes place, the stores are not guaranteed to remain open.

Stay tuned, this is going to be one interesting legal battle; the Washington AG office just set aside $6 million to pay for outside lawyers. A resolution is not likely any time soon.

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