Here's the actual entrance, hidden off in an alcove of sorts around the corner from the old entrance. I have no idea why Safeway installed the pharmacy sign over this door, other than that perhaps there was nowhere else to put it -- this door certainly doesn't lead to the pharmacy any more directly than the other one! Also of interest is the gas price sign on the right -- one of the Port Angeles stores (or maybe both -- I can't remember) had one of these installed briefly, but then removed without it ever being turned on. The blank bottom line of the sign is from back when Safeway card members got 3 cents off per gallon (which was discontinued a very long time ago) -- I remember that the discount was a variable LED sign piece, which was a bit weird since the discount never changed during the time it was offered.
Happy New Year! That's an interesting "Initiative Petitioning" sign there. I don't think I've ever seen such a thing before so visibly upfront at a supermarket before! I've seen smaller signs more or less saying the same thing, but usually in a more indirect manner. Also, it looks like the store is quite busy!
ReplyDeleteAt one time, many Randall's stores in the area had gas stations. In fact, I think Randall's was one of the first supermarkets to start putting in gas stations in their parking lots back in the 1990s. This was probably before Safeway bought Randall's, but I can't say for sure. But, anyway, as most of the suburban Randall's stores have closed in Houston, most of the Randall's gas stations have gone away as well. The core of Houston Randall's stores which exists now in urban areas and older, wealthy inner suburbs don't have room for gas stations in their parking lots. Certainly the Randall's nearest to me, which is the only Randall's in this area, has never had a gas station.
Randall's does run promotions with other gas stations though. At one time not too long ago, shopping at Randall's led to points which could be redeemed for discounts on ExxonMobil gas (I think), but now the points go towards discounts on Chevron-Texaco gas. I'm not sure if Safeway, or Albertsons even, has similar promotions elsewhere in the US especially in places where the majority of Safeway locations do have gas stations.
Ha, yep, that sign's actually rather common in Safeways around here -- pretty much every original Safeway got them shortly before the merger, and I think at least some Albertsons stores have them too. Not sure why they felt the need, or why they're so specific, but I guess I've just tuned them out at this point.
DeleteSafeways typically have gas stations -- probably the majority of stores do, but certainly not all of them, especially since none of the pre-merger Albertsons stores do (Albertsons sold off their gas stations shortly before the merger for some reason). Even then, they do still allow you to use points at Chevron stations (and Texaco, but there are hardly any of them left around here). I've never done that, but it sounds like a much more complex process than using them at Safeway's own gas stations.