The Associated Press
and Peninsula Daily News
BELLINGHAM — The union that represents Haggen employees said government regulators have approved a potential deal for Albertsons to buy the remaining Haggen grocery stores.
The Bellingham Herald reported Wednesday that Haggen didn’t have a comment on the union statement.
Among the Haggen stores that would be affected is the Port Angeles store at 114 E. Lauridsen Blvd. No other Haggen stores are on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Before it was purchased by Haggen, the store was an Albertsons. The Haggen banner went up in February 2015.
On Thursday, the Herald said that Haggen’s auction of its 32 core stores, which includes the store in Port Angeles, has been moved from today to March 18, according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court documents.
The newspaper added that Albertsons has not commented about any potential deal to buy the Haggen core stores.
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Local 367 said Wednesday that the Federal Trade Commission has approved the potential acquisition of the stores and that the two companies are finalizing the purchase agreement.
Union officials say the news will hopefully end the uncertainty for their members and communities.
The Port Angeles store manager, Darrel Chard, said that the store has 65 employees.
Haggen filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year after purchasing nearly 150 stores from Albertsons and Safeway.
The Bellingham-based company failed to convert the stores, many of which have been auctioned.
