Dominick’s parent company Safeway Inc. announced in a letter to employees Oct. 1 that unsold stores will be closing Dec. 28. The closing of the stores puts 6,600 Chicagoland jobs at risk if the stores are not bought by a competing grocer before the closing date, making it potentially the largest Chicago layoff in years.
The Dominick’s on the corner of Sheffield and Fullerton avenues and part of DePaul’s Centennial Hall may be safe from the closures, however. According to Joe Boateng, the store’s customer service manager, Jewel-Osco has shown interest in acquiring the store. The deadline for bids was Nov. 1, but the store will not know what is to become of it until the end of the month.
“I think it would be convenient for the Dominick’s to be replaced by another grocery store,” Jack Tansey, freshman, said. “The prices are ridiculous at ETC and there isn’t really another option around campus.”
John Boghossian, freshman, also said he thought the Dominick’s should be replaced by another grocery store. Boghossian said he would prefer a Jewel to take over the location.
“I don’t think it should be replaced by a major chain if it’s going to be a grocery store,” Rachel Soich said, who works near the Dominick’s at the Chicago School of Yoga. “It would be nice to get a smaller, local chain to take over the space.”
News of the closing date for the stores spread after a letter informed employees of the closure. The letter was in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Training Act, which requires employers who have more than 100 employees to give a 60 day warning of any possible layoffs of more than a third of the workforce or more than 500 people.
Many of the 68 stores that are up for sale have caught the attention of Dominick’s competitors. Jewel-Osco’s parent company, New Albertsons Inc., has already bought four locations from Dominick’s. Mariano’s has shown interest in 20 locations and Kroger Co. has stated its interest in 15 locations. It is not known if the companies are interested in the same or different locations.
If the majority of the locations can’t find a buyer, the closing would be one of the largest layoffs Chicago has seen in years; just in closing Dominick’s warehouse in Northlake, the company will lay off 267 people.