Safeway is closing more stores in 2026, continuing a wave of downsizing under parent company Albertsons that has already claimed dozens of locations.
Safeway operates just over 900 locations nationwide. They are mainly concentrated in the western U.S., along with a small presence in Maryland and Virginia. In 2025, Albertsons closed at least 30 stores across its various banners, including locations under the Carrs, Albertsons, and United Supermarkets names. It has continued that pace into 2026.
“[Our network positioning] includes opening new stores in areas with strong demand and long-term opportunity, while also making the difficult decision to close some locations,” the company told Fast Company. “In these cases, we work to place as many associates as possible in other stores.”
However, since Albertsons owns more than 20 different grocery banners across 35 states, including Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, and others, it’s unclear which chains, or specific stores, will be most affected as that footprint review continues.
The closures follow the collapse of Albertsons’ proposed $24.6 billion merger with Kroger, which regulators blocked in 2024. Since then, Albertsons has shifted away from expansion and moved toward streamlining its existing footprint. Meanwhile, Kroger has set its sights elsewhere, agreeing this year to acquire regional chain Giant Eagle.
Most of the Safeway closures come down to expiring leases—rather than a broader retreat from a given market.
In Washington, D.C., Safeway is permanently closing its Hechinger Mall location after nearly 40 years. The store officially shut down on May 16, 2026. “We are coming to the end of our lease at this location, and have made the decision to reinvest our resources into other existing stores,” the company said in a statement.
A similar story played out in California’s Bay Area, where Safeway closed its Hayward location on Jackson Street in late February, and again in Oregon, where the chain’s only Newport store closed last month after more than 30 years in business.
For California, this was the fourth Bay Area Safeway to close in just over a year, following earlier closures in San Francisco’s Fillmore district, Pinole, and Vallejo. “We have been proud to serve the Jackson Triangle neighborhood over the years, and this decision was not made lightly,” the company said.
Consistent with the union’s collective bargaining agreement, all 76 employees at the Hayward store were transferred to nearby locations rather than laid off. This is a pattern that’s held across most of Safeway’s other closures as well.
Which Safeway locations have closed in 2026?
Inc. has confirmed the following closures so far this year:
- 231 W. Jackson St., Hayward, California
- 1601 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C.
- 2220 N. Coast Highway, Newport, Oregon
Safeway did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
—By Amaya Nichole
Get 1 Smart Business Story delivered straight to your inbox when you subscribe to Inc.’s free daily newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com.
Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.
