The Safeway shop in San Francisco’s Fillmore District is scheduled to permanently close in early 2025 after 40 years of operation, after a roughly one-year reprieve due to local residents’ outrage.
The Webster Street Safeway will close on or around February 7, a Safeway representative told CBS News Bay Area on Wednesday.
“The store had initially been set to close earlier this year, but Safeway extended its operations for an additional 11 months to provide a greater transition period for the community,” a spokesperson said. “We are proud of our 40-year history serving the Fillmore district and are thankful to the residents, customers, and community partners who have supported us over the years.”
San Francisco residents will continue to be served by Safeway at 15 additional locations throughout the city, the company announced.
The business said that “persistent” problems with thefts at the store and “ongoing concerns” about employee and customer safety were the reasons behind the closure.
After locals voiced their displeasure over the closure and the sale of the property to Align Real Estate, the city and Safeway came to an arrangement in January to keep the store operating until 2024. At the site, the new owner intends to construct a new mixed-use development that will include both residential and commercial space.
Following the Jan. 4 announcement, Dr. Rev. Amos Brown, president of the San Francisco branch of the NAACP, told CBS News Bay Area that the shutdown would result in a food desert and was a case of history repeating itself in the Fillmore.
“This community has been economically deprived for 50 years, and its time we stopped this kind of exclusionary and gentrifying activity,” Brown stated at the time.
Brown denounced the closure and once more called on city officials to intervene in a statement released on Wednesday.
“The Black people of the Fillmore would suffer greatly as a result of this decision. Meanwhile, Safeway intends to sell the extremely valuable land it purchased 40 years ago for less than market value, making a huge profit for itself at the expense of the Black community, Brown added. “It’s time for the city to step in and prevent the closure and sale and bring Safeway to the table to give the community a voice in what happens next.”
Additionally, Brown said that Safeway failed to collaborate with the neighborhood to address problems at the site.
Both the NAACP and religious groups have pleaded with the firm to cooperate with the community in order to find practical answers to these problems. He said, “Safeway has never done so or even had the decency to come meet with us to discuss their problems in more detail or to start a conversation.
All of the staff at the Webster Street facility will be transferred to other San Francisco locations by the corporation. Customers of the pharmacy who have prescriptions on hand will have the option to transfer them to another Safeway or to a different location.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.