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GRANTS PASS Haggen closure leaves 63 people jobless By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 17, 2015 @ 4:42 pm Updated Aug 17, 2015 at 4:43 PM By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 17, 2015 @ 4:42 pm Updated Aug 17, 2015 at 4:43 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Patty Bellum was still a student at Hidden Valley High when she started working for grocery store giant Albertsons in 1990, at what is now Staples in the Grants Pass Shopping Center. She worked for Albertsons in Florida, Salem, Tualatin and Medford before returning to the newer Beacon Drive store as manager three years ago. Friday morning around 10 a.m. Bellum and department managers got the shocking news from a regional vice president that their store — called Haggen since May — would close in two months, leaving 63 people jobless. "Everybody is in shock right now," said Bellum. "Everybody is just worried about finding another job. There's a lot of people with a lot of years of service here." Haggen said Friday the Beacon Drive store is one of five it will close in Oregon with 331 employees. The rest include one in Tualatin, two in Klamath Falls and one in Keizer. Haggen will also close 16 stores in California, five in Arizona and one in Washington, for a total of 27 stores. The other Haggen in town, on Allen Creek Road, will remain open. Haggen said in a press release that "additional stores will be sold or closed in the future as part of Haggen's right-sizing strategy." When asked about the future of the other Grants Pass store on Allen Creek, store spokesperson Debora Pleva said, "I can't release any details on which stores." She also wouldn't say whether the construction of WinCo a few blocks away from the Beacon Drive store played a role in the decision. "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," said Haggen's Pacific Southwest CEO Bill Shaner. Most of the stores announced for closure Thursday were among 146 acquired by Haggen earlier this year as part of a huge merger between grocery giants Albertsons and Safeway. The divestiture was forced by federal regulators over concerns the Albertsons/Safeway merger would create monopolies in some markets. With the merger, the Bellingham, Wash.-based grocery chain mushroomed from 18 stores and 2,000 employees in the Northwest to 164 stores with more than 10,000 people in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. In May, Haggen drummed up the conversion from Albertsons at both Grants Pass locations, with new signs, lighting and flooring, involving about 80 construction workers over three days of store closures. John Asher, who works with dislocated workers for the state offices of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, said the agency's local outlets will be meeting with the workers as early as next week to discuss their future. "It's a competitive business. We've had some Albertsons close in the past," Asher said. "There's always more and more stores opening." Bellum said she is already trying to get her employees' names out for other jobs, and wasn't sure if any spots would be open at the Haggen on Allen Creek Road. "I've worked with people who have been here since 1990," Bellum said. "It's a sad day." Reach reporter Jeff Duewel at 541-474-3720 or [email protected] By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 17, 2015 @ 4:42 pm Updated Aug 17, 2015 at 4:43 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » 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. 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. 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