Cash Saver/IGA

[storewanderer]

So in Lake Worth, TX there is a Cash Saver/IGA Store.

This appears to be a former Safeway. The interior is very outdated and in rough condition. A lot of the refrigeration is probably original.

It seems like there should have been a bakery and deli in this store based on its size but I cannot find any evidence of where that was.

The back wall still has a massive old looking Safeway clock on the wall and there are Cash Saver logos covering up something on there.

Does anyone know who's decor is on the walls? The decor is very outdated looking but is obviously not Safeway decor. Is that Appletree decor? The font of the wall letters reminds me of the font of an old Brookshire's logo.

This store is supplied by AWG.

There were signs throughout the store with both the Cash Saver and IGA logo on the signs. I find it hard to believe this store got signs printed for itself based on the overall store condition but maybe it is possible.

However I am confused- why is IGA putting its name on Cash Saver type stores? I've never seen IGA with Cash Saver. Plus this means the store pays an IGA fee to IGA and I assume a Cash Saver fee to AWG.

Is this IGA/Cash Saver combination typical? Did Lawrence Brothers do this before selling to United/Albertsons perhaps?

[rwsandiego]

Based on a Google search, there are several different "CashSaver" operations that seem to be franchises. Some of the other gems make this place look like a Pavilions. The ones I looked at all have the same signage with varying degrees of "decor."

According to IGA's website, the Lake Worth store is, in fact, an IGA. However, none of the others I checked are IGAs.

[storewanderer]

Based on a Google search, there are several different "CashSaver" operations that seem to be franchises. Some of the other gems make this place look like a Pavilions. The ones I looked at all have the same signage with varying degrees of "decor."

According to IGA's website, the Lake Worth store is, in fact, an IGA. However, none of the others I checked are IGAs.

I was wondering if it was really an active IGA or just had the sign up. The receipt I got has the IGA logo on it and it also has language at the bottom of the receipt to download their app for weekly specials and promotions. It doesn't say exactly what app, but I assume they are referring to the IGA app. I made sure to pay via Tap in response to other recent reviews. The bags were generic AWG Best Choice bags. The two employees I saw working were not in any kind of uniform or name tag. I did not see any IGA private label items.

This store was missing a lot of the typical Cash Saver wall signs, but had some of the other signs.

This Cash Saver I will give some credit- on pre-priced items such as bagged chips- their shelf pricing was 20% below "bag price stamp." Then they add 10% at checkout. So that is still netting out to 10% off "bagged price." Some Cash Savers I went to in Iowa last month had the shelf label for the chips at 5% below "bag stamp price" then they add 10% at checkout so you end up paying MORE THAN "bagged price."

I think since it was originally a Safeway it was quite nicer than a typical Cash Saver as far as the structure goes- more space, higher ceilings, etc. Many Cash Savers were originally independent stores and just not as nice of a structure to begin with.

[pseudo3d]

Your hunch is correct, it was Safeway #818 from 1974 to around 1983 and became the independent Diamond Supermarket in 1985 (before Safeway closed the Dallas Division). It rebranded a few times (Metro Food Store in 1999 for instance) but kept common ownership. It was not part of Lawrence Bros., though they were another Cash Saver franchise.

[storewanderer]

Your hunch is correct, it was Safeway #818 from 1974 to around 1983 and became the independent Diamond Supermarket in 1985 (before Safeway closed the Dallas Division). It rebranded a few times (Metro Food Store in 1999 for instance) but kept common ownership. It was not part of Lawrence Bros., though they were another Cash Saver franchise.

So it appears this company called Diamond Foods (also doing business as Metro Food) recently sold 3 of its stores to Brookshire's.
https://www.ksstradio.com/2023/09/brook ... locations/
Of those stores sold to Brookshire's, the store in Mineral Wells is also an obvious former Safeway.
Also this store in Mineral Wells still has "Diamond Pharmacy" operating inside Brookshire's.

It appears there was a Diamond in Jacksboro, TX until fairly recently.

It also appears the IGA in Van Alstyne is one of these Diamond Foods Stores and still open at the present time.

So it looks like this was a small chain of some sort. I wonder how many stores it had at its height.

[pseudo3d]

Your hunch is correct, it was Safeway #818 from 1974 to around 1983 and became the independent Diamond Supermarket in 1985 (before Safeway closed the Dallas Division). It rebranded a few times (Metro Food Store in 1999 for instance) but kept common ownership. It was not part of Lawrence Bros., though they were another Cash Saver franchise.

So it appears this company called Diamond Foods (also doing business as Metro Food) recently sold 3 of its stores to Brookshire's.
https://www.ksstradio.com/2023/09/brook ... locations/
Of those stores sold to Brookshire's, the store in Mineral Wells is also an obvious former Safeway.
Also this store in Mineral Wells still has "Diamond Pharmacy" operating inside Brookshire's.

It appears there was a Diamond in Jacksboro, TX until fairly recently.

It also appears the IGA in Van Alstyne is one of these Diamond Foods Stores and still open at the present time.

So it looks like this was a small chain of some sort. I wonder how many stores it had at its height.

From my resources it looks like it had ten stores in the mid-1980s, so never a big chain. (It opened and closed stores over the years).

[storewanderer]

Your hunch is correct, it was Safeway #818 from 1974 to around 1983 and became the independent Diamond Supermarket in 1985 (before Safeway closed the Dallas Division). It rebranded a few times (Metro Food Store in 1999 for instance) but kept common ownership. It was not part of Lawrence Bros., though they were another Cash Saver franchise.

So it appears this company called Diamond Foods (also doing business as Metro Food) recently sold 3 of its stores to Brookshire's.
https://www.ksstradio.com/2023/09/brook ... locations/
Of those stores sold to Brookshire's, the store in Mineral Wells is also an obvious former Safeway.
Also this store in Mineral Wells still has "Diamond Pharmacy" operating inside Brookshire's.

It appears there was a Diamond in Jacksboro, TX until fairly recently.

It also appears the IGA in Van Alstyne is one of these Diamond Foods Stores and still open at the present time.

So it looks like this was a small chain of some sort. I wonder how many stores it had at its height.

From my resources it looks like it had ten stores in the mid-1980s, so never a big chain. (It opened and closed stores over the years).

How many Safeways did they appear to take over?

That Lake Worth Store struck me as a really good location and I'm a little surprised it hasn't shifted to a larger chain retailer.

However knowing they are or were an actual chain answers a lot of my questions. It didn't seem like a single store independent but it sure seemed like a store where whoever was running it wasn't very involved in it.

Given they sold 3 of 5 stores last year I am guessing some event triggered that sale and the 2 stores that remain.... who knows.

[wnetmacman]

How many Safeways did they appear to take over?

That Lake Worth Store struck me as a really good location and I'm a little surprised it hasn't shifted to a larger chain retailer.

However knowing they are or were an actual chain answers a lot of my questions. It didn't seem like a single store independent but it sure seemed like a store where whoever was running it wasn't very involved in it.

Given they sold 3 of 5 stores last year I am guessing some event triggered that sale and the 2 stores that remain.... who knows.

Brookshire probably passed on Lake Worth because the Winn Dixie right behind this one was Brookshire for several years before being closed. Brookshire has not fared well in the Metroplex. They surround it, but have no stores in Dallas or Tarrant counties - they've all closed.

[pseudo3d]

So it appears this company called Diamond Foods (also doing business as Metro Food) recently sold 3 of its stores to Brookshire's.
https://www.ksstradio.com/2023/09/brook ... locations/
Of those stores sold to Brookshire's, the store in Mineral Wells is also an obvious former Safeway.
Also this store in Mineral Wells still has "Diamond Pharmacy" operating inside Brookshire's.

It appears there was a Diamond in Jacksboro, TX until fairly recently.

It also appears the IGA in Van Alstyne is one of these Diamond Foods Stores and still open at the present time.

So it looks like this was a small chain of some sort. I wonder how many stores it had at its height.

From my resources it looks like it had ten stores in the mid-1980s, so never a big chain. (It opened and closed stores over the years).

How many Safeways did they appear to take over?

That Lake Worth Store struck me as a really good location and I'm a little surprised it hasn't shifted to a larger chain retailer.

However knowing they are or were an actual chain answers a lot of my questions. It didn't seem like a single store independent but it sure seemed like a store where whoever was running it wasn't very involved in it.

Given they sold 3 of 5 stores last year I am guessing some event triggered that sale and the 2 stores that remain.... who knows.

They took over Denison's (300 South Armstrong) but I think that was it. Van Alstyne came into their possession at that time but I don't think it was ever a Safeway.

[storewanderer]

How many Safeways did they appear to take over?

That Lake Worth Store struck me as a really good location and I'm a little surprised it hasn't shifted to a larger chain retailer.

However knowing they are or were an actual chain answers a lot of my questions. It didn't seem like a single store independent but it sure seemed like a store where whoever was running it wasn't very involved in it.

Given they sold 3 of 5 stores last year I am guessing some event triggered that sale and the 2 stores that remain.... who knows.

Brookshire probably passed on Lake Worth because the Winn Dixie right behind this one was Brookshire for several years before being closed. Brookshire has not fared well in the Metroplex. They surround it, but have no stores in Dallas or Tarrant counties - they've all closed.

I do not see how Brookshire's can compete in the Metroplex at this time. The competitive situation in the Metroplex is intense.

However, if Tom Thumb/Albertsons were to be removed or scaled back from the Metroplex, I could see Brookshire's being a fair replacement. Back when they ran pharmacies I'd say they would have been a good replacement. But the no pharmacy thing is a problem and the Albertsons pharmacy operation gets customer traffic.