Official: At least 70 employees affected in Albertsons closure

Albertsons Companies' officials said as many as 70 employees will be affected as one Grand Valley location closes and another transitions to Safeway.

Albertons and Safeway are under one ownership.

Kathy Holland, communications, manager for the Intermountain Division of Albertsons Companies', said the company was working with employees and labor unions "to attempt to find them other work that is both consistent with applicable law and/or labor agreement."

Holland said the Albertsons location on 12th Street will close its doors on March 20, and that the location on Broadway would be ready by the same month.

Holland cited under performance as a reason for the store's closure, and said the single-bannering of Safeway would help the to better provide service to the community.

“While we know that the Albertsons name has a lot of history here in Grand Junction, it made sense for our Albertsons store and our Safeway stores in the Grand Junction area to be united under one strong brand," said Brad Street, Intermountain Division president.

Neither Holland or Street cited the new City Market at 12th and Patterson as a reason for the closure.

A recent interview about CMU students' impact on the local, President Tim Foster said students were the biggest spenders, and cited Albertsons as one of the places where they go.