Kaneohe’s Safeway is latest to get makeover
Safeway Inc. unveils the latest of its remodeled "lifestyle" stores today in Kaneohe, part of the supermarket company's plan to deploy the concept chainwide.
The makeover allows the 24-hour Kaneohe store, at 46-065 Kamehameha Hwy., to boast full-service seafood, meat and bakery departments, as well as a full-service deli with a carving station, soup cart and gourmet cheese table.
Its wine and floral selections have been expanded and the store is touting an organic produce and natural foods department as well.
The store will also have a sushi bar with a sushi chef available daily from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Safeway lifestyle format is a design with features that have rolled out in Hawaii Kai in 2005, the Kailua-Kona store at the beginning of the year, the Kahului, Maui, store in September, and will be coming to the Kihei store in January, after the busy holiday season ends.
"We are going to be remodeling all of our stores in the coming years to this lifestyle format," said Esperanza Greenwood, public affairs manager for the Safeway Northern California Division, which includes Hawaii's 18 stores. Safeway has 1,767 stores nationwide and in Canada.
How many years the Hawaii renovations will take is unknown and the coming year's schedule, aside from Kihei, has not been released yet, but the cost of remodeling ranges from $3.8 to $4.2 million per store. While the remodeling costs are no small potatoes, the company reported sales of $38.4 billion last year.
Any increases in staffing needs as a result of renovation would vary by store, she said.
A company statement describes the lifestyle concept as having "inviting décor with warm ambiance that highlights the high-quality fresh products and proprietary brands Safeway offers," but there will be differences between the stores, said Greenwood.
"Not all of them are going to look exactly alike. We like to be responsive to our communities, to make sure the stores continue to have the community-feel to them."
There will be no renovation work during the holidays. "We like to minimize any inconvenience," she said.
