Proceeding down the front walkway to the garden center, we can see that this sign was replaced in addition to the main (non-)logo signs. For some reason, the new sign is clearly a bit narrower than the old one, leaving a nice bit of labelscar from the old G and R at the beginning and end of the sign. Just when you thought they were going to get rid of the labelscar from the other old garden center sign...
sigh
Kroger sometimes replaces things like 'Pharmacy' signs on the outside of stores, but I'm not really sure why because the old signs look just as good, or better, as the replacement ones. In this case, there is the labelscar. Sometimes I'm not sure why Kroger does what it does!
ReplyDeleteI just found out yesterday that Fred Meyer did have a presence in Texas at one time, but in a somewhat indirect manner. It seems that Smith's operated stores in El Paso for a number of years and that includes the years where Smith's was acquired by Fred Meyer and then when Kroger acquired Fred Meyer. Kroger's stay in El Paso with Smith's didn't last long as they pulled out of the market in 2001. Fleming Foods converted some to their Rainbow label, but that didn't last long as by 2002-3, a few of them were converted again into Albertsons.
I'm not highly familiar with Smith's, but I reckon this 2017 photo is showing hybrid Albertsons and Smith's signage: https://goo.gl/maps/mor5K5SNdgAufR849
I'm not sure if that signage still exists as it seems the store was renovated after that and received Safeway Lifestyle v3 decor. Although I know you hate Lifestyle v3, I thought maybe you'd like to see this oddball Albertsons (odd in more than one way!). It's a Krogertsons of a different kind, lol. https://goo.gl/maps/rBkfDGkd7ui799mp7
The store looks pretty nice to me. But, yeah, I guess there is Fred Meyer's Texas connection!
Amusingly enough, I was just discussing Fred Meyer's brief growth spurt with someone over on Discord! It really is impressive how large their footprint briefly was, both under their own name and with all of the companies they acquired just before being taken over by Kroger. And it's sad to look at them now, and see how far they've fallen.
Delete