By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch South Pierce County has one less option for grocery shopping with the closure of the Haggen store in Spanaway. It's among the store closures in Washington announced by Haggen as part of what the regional grocery chain describes as an effort to improve its business competitiveness. The Bellingham-based company revealed in August that it will close or sell a number of locations in Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Most were acquired by Haggen as part of a transaction in which Albertsons and Safeway divested 146 stores through a merger. Haggen subsequently filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which protects its assets while it is reorganizing. The company is also embroiled in lawsuits it filed against Albertson's and that Albertson's filed against Haggen over alleged details surrounding the store sales. Haggen does business in Washington as Haggen Northwest Fresh and TOP Food and Drug. The store in Spanaway is the only Haggen Northwest Fresh outlet in Washington that is among the 25 stores here and in Oregon, California and Arizona that Haggen included on the closure list in August. Haggen officials said all the stores slated for closure would remain in business while beginning "the process of closing down over the next 60 days." The Spanaway location, at 15805 Pacific Ave. S., formerly was a Safeway store before being sold to the Haggen chain as part of a merger of Safeway and Albertson's stores that required those two companies to divest some of their properties. Haggen hasn't said how many jobs will be affected as a result of the closures and sales. "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,GÇ¥ said Bill Shaner, Haggen's chief executive officer for its Pacific Southwest region. "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.GÇ¥ Through its acquisition of former Safeway and Albertson's stores, Haggen expanded from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies and 2,000 employees in the Pacific Northwest to 164 stores and 106 pharmacies employing more than 10,000 people in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. Haggen contends its original stores have continued to perform well since the company's expansion. "We're grateful to have an outstanding team along with the support of our vendor partners, financial backers and friends in the community as we take our next steps forward," said John Clougher, CEO of the Pacific Northwest region for Haggen. "We will work hard every single day to earn the trust and business of our guests. We will continue to support community events and donate to schools." Haggen was founded in 1933 in Bellingham.
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