Albertsons closing 7 northwestern grocery stores

BOISE — The grocery chain Albertsons plans to close several stores in the Northwest, but not in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area. The Albany Democrat-Herald in Oregon reports that seven of 111 shops will be shuttered, including stores in Oregon, Washington, and western Idaho. Albertsons spokesman Dennis McCoy said none of the store closures are in the Spokane or Coeur d’Alene area. “In fact, we invested money in the Spokane area through two store remodels in 2013,” he said. The Washington stores to be closed, he said, are two in Vancouver, two in Tacoma and one in Bothell. McCoy said the Boise-based company is continuously evaluating its stores and occasionally will close the less-profitable locations. He said some of the employees who worked at the affected stores may be able to transfer to a different location.