Haggen Inc. has announced another round of closures in its TOP Food & Drug brand.
TOP stores in Auburn, Kent and Yakima are slated to close within the next three months. The latest announcement follows closures of TOP stores in Tacoma, Lacey and Federal Way earlier this year, as well as recent closures of stores in Bellevue and Shoreline that were remodeled under Haggen’s new “Northwest Fresh” company-wide rebranding initiative.
The Northwest Fresh concept, spearheaded by Haggen’s former CEO, Clarence Gabriel (who resigned in December 2012), is set to eventually place all of the company’s stores under one brand name. Haggen created its TOP (which stands for Tough On Prices) superstore spin-off chain in 1982.
In July, leaders of the Bellingham-based grocer said the store shutterings were part of a long-term growth strategy where the company sheds underperforming locations in order to bolster its competitive position in markets where it still thrives.
Clement Stevens, Haggen’s co-president and senior vice president of merchandising, said in a statement this past summer that the company’s leadership was “taking necessary actions to sustain and grow” the business, but added that “closing the stores is an extremely difficult decision, knowing that it will impact some of our valued employees and their families, as well as our guests.”
Read more about recent developments at Haggen Inc. in the next print edition of The Bellingham Business Journal, due out on Monday, Nov. 4.
Evan Marczynski, staff reporter for The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or evan@bbjtoday.com.
