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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... Room for improvement ... Electric Highway aims to spark more EV use ... Rogue River man held on murder charge ... CHANGEOVER Longtime Ashland landmark changing hands Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Ashland’s Safeway, a boulevard landmark since the 1960s, will get rebranded in about March with a big sign of  Haggen , its new Washington-based owner. The supermarket will keep its present team of workers and management, honor present union contracts and emphasize environmental sustainability, with offerings of both conventional and organic produce, much like the present  Safeway , a Haggen representative says. Most Haggen markets have a pharmacy, but there are no plans at this time to do that in Ashland, said Deborah Pleva, public relations spokeswoman for Haggen.  The purchase of some Safeway markets by Haggen was ordered by the  Federal Trade Commission  following the purchase of Safeway by  Albertsons . That merger awaits final approval by the FTC. Because Ashland has both an Albertsons and Safeway store, FTC rules seek to prevent monopolies by prohibiting stores in the same market from having the same ownership, said Pleva. As a result of its acquisitions, Haggen, an 82-year-old chain in Washington and Oregon, will balloon from 18 to 164 stores spread over the Northwest, plus California, Nevada and Arizona. Its employees will increase fivefold, to 10,000. The new ownership of Safeway will “preserve a healthy, competitive environment” in Ashland’s supermarkets, said Pleva. Haggen is buying 20 Safeway and Albertsons stores in Oregon, including two each in Grants Pass and Klamath Falls. Its banner reads “Haggen Northwest Fresh.” The conversion of stores starts in Washington, with Oregon slated for completion about a third of the way through. All stores will be converted by July 4.  Haggen is the sixth largest private company in Washington. In its public relations release, Haggen said it supports regional farms, ranches, fisheries and other businesses and supports local events and services.  The expansion is financed by Comvest Partners, a private investment firm with $1.8 billion in assets under management. It owns the majority of Haggen stock. The Comvest list of equity investments online lists many in the areas of health, security, jewelry, data, construction — and labels Haggen as “a chain of high-end grocery stores.” The Ashland Safeway is at 585 Siskiyou Blvd., at Sherman Street on the site where Ashland’s first brick school building, Hawthorne School, was built in 1900. Safeway was built after a new junior high school was built on Walker Avenue in the 1960s. Reach Ashland freelance writer John Darling at [email protected].   By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501