Florida Albertsons Stores Convert to Super Saver Banner

BOISE, Idaho - Albertsons, Inc. will change 11 of its supermarkets across the state of Florida to the limited-assortment Super Saver banner, according to published reports. Slated store locations include Orlando, Kissimmee, Ocoee, Daytona Beach, and Port St. Lucie.

The stores are scheduled to close in 30 days and reopen in one to two months, after the locations have been remodeled and restocked, explained Mike Clawson, president of Extreme, Inc., the wholly owned Albertsons subsidiary that runs Super Saver.

Up to 750 Albertsons workers could lose their jobs as a result of the conversions, since Super Saver stores have fewer employees and offer fewer services such as bagging groceries for customers. The company said that it would transfer some employees and urge others to apply for positions with Super Saver. Severance pay will also be available, Albertsons spokesman Walt Rubel told Progressive Grocer.

The first Super Saver stores opened in September, with five locations in the Dallas area and two in Baton Rouge, La.

The company said it would continue to look for locations for new Super Saver stores in Florida and other states. Store locations are selected based on "our own demographic profile, where we think the stores would work the best," Clawson told the Sentinel newspaper.