A POPULAR retailer is closing down more stores in just weeks, forcing shoppers to head elsewhere for essentials soon.
The shutdowns come amid efforts from the chain to reorganize its footprint and after strikes from thousands of workers this summer.
Shoppers at a popular retailer will need to head to another location soon (stock image)[/caption]
Safeway is closing down at least 10 stores in the same state by November (stock image)[/caption]
Either on or before November 7, 2025, Safeway will shutter at least 10 stores in Colorado, per CBS News.
At least four of the 10 are located in the Denver area.
Two others are also shuttering in New Mexico and Nebraska by the deadline, bringing the total count to 12.
Safeway confirmed to the outlet that the Colorado closures come in part because its creating a new Mountain West Division, which integrates stores from the Intermountain and Denver divisions.
The specific locations were also chosen to be removed due to underperformance, according to a spokesperson.
Reasoning was further clarified by Kirk Crespin, Mayor of Lamar, Colorado, located about a three-hour drive southeast of Denver.
“I have been told that the decision was made due to lower sales, the increase of expenses from the labor strike that happened earlier this year, and the failure of the sale to Kroger’s,” Crespin claimed in a Facebook post.
“My hope is there is a plan in place for this building, whether it is a Kroger’s or some other food store for our community.”
STRIKE OUT
There was indeed a strike involving thousands of unionized Safeway grocery store workers this year, and a tentative deal was reached between the union, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7, and the retailer to end it in July.
About 50 stores were impacted by the strike in Colorado.
Demands like wage increases, bonuses for seniority, fully-funded and updated healthcare benefits, and an expanded vacation cash-out policy were met by Safeway, according to UFCW Local 7.
“The Company’s decision to close these stores represents new evidence that Albertsons is more interested in lining the pockets of its Wall Street investors as opposed to serving Coloradans,” the union wrote in a statement to CBS News.
“The stores being closed include stores in rural La Junta and Lamar, Colorado — where Safeway was already the only full-service grocer in town.”
“Consumers in these communities will now be forced to drive at least 60 miles to reach the nearest full-service grocer,” the statement continued.
“At the same time, store closures in Aurora, Englewood, and downtown Loveland create a huge impact on less affluent areas where consumers often lack access to reliable transportation.”
November 2025 Safeway Closures
- 201 E. Jefferson, Englewood, Colorado 80113
- 500 E. 120th Ave, Northglenn, Colorado 80233
- 1653 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver, Colorado 80222
- 12200 E. Mississippi, Aurora, Colorado 80012
- 3657 S. College Ave, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
- 860 Cleveland Ave., Loveland, Colorado 80537
- 5060 North Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918
- 1425 S. Murray Blvd., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80916
- 315 W. 2nd St., La Junta, Colorado 81050
- 906 E. Olive St., Lamar, Colorado 81052
- 230 Morehead Street, Chadron, Nebraska 69337
- 730 W. Main St., Farmington, New Mexico 87401
Credit: CBS News
DEAL DENIED
Albertsons is the parent company of Safeway, and failed to complete a $24.6 billion merger with Kroger in December after a judge blocked the deal.
A lawsuit was later filed by Albertsons against Kroger for billions in damages.
This includes a $600 million termination fee, as it claimed Kroger breached the contract by not taking the proper steps to secure regulatory approval.
The suit remains ongoing, and Kroger recently settled a separate one with C&S Wholesalers last month.
CHANGES DEMANDED
“We call on Safeway to rethink this disastrous approach to shrinking its corporate footprint and, instead, invest in Colorado communities with new and improved stores,” UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova urged in a separate statement.
Heather Halpape, a Safeway spokesperson, emphasized while speaking with CBS News that it “proudly served these communities for decades, and the decision to close these stores was not made lightly.”
“Together, these changes position us to operate in new and innovative ways that foster customer loyalty and drive long-term success,” Halpape said.
There have also been other Safeway closures this year.
In Alaska, for example, residents lost a beloved Carrs-Safeway location.
Safeway shoppers can also get $100 from a $5.95 million settlement pot, and they don’t need proof of purchase.
