Haggen Food & Pharmacy

Edit 2−25−16: SAFEWAY is coming back! I’m doing my happy dance! The re-​grand opening is going to be a celebration for this community.
Edit 8−13−15: Just found out that Haggen is no longer 24 hours at this location and some employee (s) have already defected to QFC at the next block. The end is near for this store hopefully!
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The hierarchy of grocery stores in the east Renton Highlands area used to be:
1. Safeway
2. QFC
3. Alberston’s
Then Albertson’s bought out Safeway and instead of letting Haggen take over the Albertson’s on Sunset, they gave up the Safeway on NE 4^th which was the youngest and one of the busiest 24-​hour Safeway stores in the region. The result?
Empty store, empty parking lot, higher prices, unhappy workers (mostly same employees from the Safeway, but now they don’t smile anymore), less sale prices, less grocery selection, no fuel discounts. I’ve been in this store only twice and I vow to never go back.
QFC was smart, they immediately renovated their NE 4^th store to attract the old Safeway clientele and it’s paying off. QFC is now at the top of the food chain in east Renton Highlands. We now only shop primarily at QFC and will patronize other Safeway locations and even the Fred Meyer on Rainier.
The new hierarchy now is:
1. QFC
2. Albertson’s
3. Haggen
Bad move by the Albertson’s corporate decision makers… bad move.

Updated 11÷20÷15:
Safeway is coming back to this location — thank God! The only postitive news about Haggen has been the 70% off discount to clear out the store before it closes.

Just read that Albertson’s has put in a bid with bankruptcy court…1.7 million… Would prefer Safeway back
Sad …lost jobs The Safeway /​Albertson merger should never have been approved.

Haggens is closing down! 10−30% off everything! They close at 9pm though instead of 10pm that is written on their door sign. Learned that the hard way. Hopefully the gas station will stay! Yay for cheap 76 gas!

This place is just creepy. It used to be a Safeway but now it’s just falling apart. There is a lot of empty space, low customer count, and a general feeling like the zombie apocalypse just started when you’re cruising around this place. Overall I think a chain that was too small took over a space that was WAY larger than they needed.
Used to go here all the time when I lived in the area but I don’t plan on making a return trip.

So happy to hear this is not staying around anymore, I hope employees can jump on with the new grocery store; anything would be better than a Haggen… extremely over priced and awful brand selection. I’ll be roughing it at QFC down the road until the transition happens!

Place was empty soon understood it was because of the high prices it looks just like Safeway nothing has changed except for the prices no more dozen donuts for 599 or chicken breast for 199 this place is super expensive it doesn’t look like a metropolitan market or Whole Foods looks just like the old Safeway with higher prices

My mom went to go buy the salmon here and they offer to fillet the fish for you, so she thought, well why not if they offer. Wrong! Do NOT have them do this for you. When she came home to open the bag of salmon, whoever did it did a HORRIBLE job. Pretty much left a bunch of meat on the bones. My mom was pissed! If she knew that was going to happen, she would’ve just kept the fish whole and fillet it herself. Needless to say, she is a very dissatisfied customer and that worker should not be offering to fillet the fish if he doesn’t know how. Terrible…

I miss Safeway! Haggen’s prices are definitely higher and they’ve reduced selections in several categories. I live just a block away so I used to stop at Safeway multiple times per week. I did the majority of my shopping there so I’m very familiar with the store. I’m disappointed with the new company. The location was so convenient. Just a quick walk. Now I just go there when I want only a few things. Otherwise I drive to Sunset’s Safeway or Albertsons.

I wish I could give this place ⁴⁄₅ because for the tard who works at the in-​house starbucks that decided to not make me a drink because I was a minute past his bedtime or something but I’ll go ahead and give it a ⁵⁄₅ as I should. Why? It’s a pretty good store. And, I read a lot of the ¹⁄₅ star reviews. You all sound like a bunch of babies… waaaah whhhaaaaaaahhh… i want my Safeway back! STFU and get over it.
I bought a few grocery items here and they were all good. Prices are fine. You think it’s expensive? Go to a city, any city, you know– a place with a population of over five figures, and I’ll show you ‘expensive’. Even Seattle.

I really wish the peeps sounding off about «one factor» would lose the ‘tude and attempt to find something to like about Haggens. You just might surprise yourself. Like the people with full carts checking out I stood behind this morning. And I didn’t mind at all. I’d rather stand in line at Haggens than complain about the lack of any checkers at Safeway.
Personally I find the extensive gluten free, real quality Kobe Beef and pumpkin bread that is home made in small batches, along with butter for $ 2.50lb a great find. I’ll be back, but then — Haggen’s been a mainstay in the North Sound for years. You guys should support this gem. Good Luck.

…UPDATE! Looks like my wish is coming true! I wonder what will go there now. Maybe a Whole Foods!
BRING OUR SAFEWAY BACK !!! Wtf … for real.
I agree with every single 1 star review posted here. Not much more that I can say that would be any different than everyone else has already said.
I too have had the same exact HORRIBLE experiences when trying this store out upon first opening.
I will happily/​not so happily… drive my ass to the Newport Hills Safeway or the smaller one on Sunset just to avoid giving Haggen a single penny.
I literally HATE this store. And not just because I can be resistant to change.
I don’t wish ill on anyone… BUT… I hope this store goes out of business and our Safeway comes back. *dare to dream, right!?* I know its not going to happen.
Spend your $$$ elsewhere. Put the money you save in your gas tank and drive to a store that deserves your money. Be it another Safeway, QFC, Albertsons or even Fred Meyer or Walmart for groceries. (I was surprisingly impressed with Walmart’s grocery selections)

Given Haggen’s respect for quality and known standards for produce I was very much looking forward to having Haggen’s as my nearest store. On a positive note the produce has lived up to its reputation. We’ve found some things that are superior to Safeway or Albertsons that we didn’t expect like the garlic bread loaves in the bakery. Staff at the store has gone above and beyond to stay positive about the transition.
Unfortunately despite a few positives the negatives are so vast that I am forced to drive to other locations to do the bulk of my shopping.
First and foremost was the loss of key items that we buy virtually every shopping trip. My wife and I have sworn off soft drinks some time ago but for variety both like to use the now popular zero calorie «flavor enhancers» that are now available. Both preferring the products from Hawaiian Punch (major name brand). We go through 10 of the little squirt bottles a week. Every chain carries them except apparently Haggen’s. Once the store was out of what was on the shelf after the conversion, they were backfilled with a store brand (Everyday Essentials). Safeway, Fred Meyer and Albertsons all sell the Hawaiian Punch brand for $ 2.99 per bottle and usually on sale for $ 1.99. Haggen’s is selling a store brand that tastes terrible compared to the name brand and it is $ 3.49. What is interesting is that while Crystal Light is the clear leader in the powdered water enhancer category with Hawaiian Punch in second, for the liquid enhancers they flop and Hawaiian Punch takes the lead. I can walk into everything from Safeway to QFC to Uwajimaya and have a choice of Hawaiian Punch in all their flavors as both liquid and powedered packets. I can walk into 7 – 11 or Circle K and get a strong representation of them if not all the flavors. Haggen’s there isn’t anything from Hawaiian Punch in the store, nada, zip.
Another product as one of my two sons and I both eat these for breakfast is the Jimmy Dean Meat Lover’s Breakfast Bows. Haggen’s is 50 cents more expensive than the other chains on this one which isn’t enough to make me buy it elsewhere. But what is enough is the fact that they are almost always out of stock. I tend to shop nearly every day for a few items for that day rather than once a week. I have «tried» to purchase this item at least 40 times since the conversion. I’ve done so successfully only twice because of chronic out of stocks. In fact the entire freezer section is so full of holes it looks embarrassing.
Tostitos Cantina’s Traditional Chips, no longer in the store. Tully’s Coffee Kuerig Cups, $ 4 per box more than Safeway or QFC. Our boys are high school athletes and consume huge amounts of Gatorade, one boy likes the light blue the other the purple. Haggen’s only carries one of the two flavors and yesterday was $ 8.99 for a pack, Safeway had both flavors in stock for $ 5.00 per pack, a four dollar difference! We go through a lot of hard boiled eggs in our house and usually buy the Eggland’s Best bags of pre-​peeled eggs. Quick and easy! Every local chain carries them except our Haggen’s.
Or even cookies. Safeway carries a simple vanilla crème sandwich cookie that is store brand but it is a 35oz package for $ 1.99 every day. Haggen’s has a store brand 24oz package that doesn’t taste nearly as good and it is $ 3.49. I’d happily pay $ 3.49 for a better product. But lower quality and lessor quantity for a $ 1.50 more? Why would I?
Or my most recent shopping trip to Haggen’s. I needed salad dressing. Our family leans towards Thousand Island and the Ken’s Steakhouse brand is far and away our favorite. Safeway, Albertson’s, Fred Meyer, QFC, WinCo, Red Apple, Central Market, Uwajimaya and Saar’s all carry Ken’s Steakhouse including their Thousand Island. Absent Ken’s there is at least 10 different options for Thousand Island in each of those chains. Not surprising, according to Supermarket News Thousand Island is the number two most popular dressing behind Ranch. Ranch isn’t a surprise given its use as a dip as well. Yet at our local Haggen’s we had one option for Thousand Island. Kraft. A terrible product at best and I purposely avoid their Thousand Island as I simply do not like it. But that was the ONLY option. Caesar is number four on Supermarket New’s list and our Haggen’s certainly had a strong representation of Caesar at 19 different SKU’s. 20 different items representing «Asian» salad dressings. I counted 9 different options for French. But only one single choice for Thousand Island?
It’s as if their buyers and merchandisers cross off the top three brands/​items in each category and try and force people into options they don’t want.
The downside is we’ll be driving farther to get our groceries. The upside is that extra distance will save us from ridiculously more expensive prices.

I hate it !!! I miss Safeway, the new people have no customer service n they don’t even smile, the prices are high n I hate shopping here !!! It’s empty it used to be such a busy store !!!

***** NO MORE JAMBA JUICE PEOPLE I REPEAT NO MORE JAMBA JUICE :(((*****
The prices are ridiculous and I understand it’s supposed to be a «healthy, organic» grocery store but even the ones that are not organic are just at ridiculous prices?! You’re better off driving a mile away to the other Safeway. Unfortunately, it’s very small compared to our Safeway before, but it’s definitely more worth it. Not only are the prices very sucky but it’s so slow. They don’t even have the self check out anymore! What’s up with that!
If you’re going to overcharge us Haggen, at least start up a club card and give us some perks!!! Otherwise, wholefoods, PCC, or Trader Joe’s would have been a better «fresh, organic store» to put here :(((((((((((

Who shops here?
The slowest checkers, the highest prices (Whole Foods levels) for Safeway quality void spaces all over the place, no self check out???
Beer is 25% more here, as is the hard stuff =(I mean 9.80 for a six pack of Torpedo is insane!!! saw a 6 pack of Rouge for 12.25??? Dog Treats were expensive as hell too at 20% more than Safeway/​QFC.
Needless to say they will be hard pressed to ever see a dollar from me ever again.

I liked it! Clean, and well organized. Great selection of ripe fruit that just wants to be eaten!
Planning to shop for typical pantry staples elsewhere (Safeway) but fruits and meats so far are worth the bigger price tag. Exited gor something new and local in Renton!

I usually try to avoid using the word «hate». So I will just say that I detest, abhor, loathe, and despise this new Haggen’s. Oh, how I miss the Super Safeway! I never appreciated it while it was here, and now I would love to see it come back. Anything but this dreadful new store!
Let’s see. Where to begin? I went in on opening day, excited to have a purportedly more «natural» grocery store. Within five minutes, I was gasping with indignation as I saw price increases in the amounts of several DOLLARS on almost everything on my list. My almond butter had jumped over two dollars. My organic apple cider vinegar — two dollar increase. I raw-​feed my dog and am intimately familiar with the meat section… overnight there was NOTHING less than $ 2/​pound! Foster Farms chicken, which is nothing special, was suddenly over $ 3 a pound!!! This is in insane, considering it was still $ 1.79 or less down the street at the Newcastle Safeway.
I passed on a bunch of items that I needed, deciding to go to QFC instead, and went up front. Oh no, tell me they didn’t take away the self-​checkout, too?! WHY? It would be one thing if they had enough cashiers to keep the lines short, but they don’t. I saw the general manager (all the employees are the same), and told him how disappointed and angry I was at the huge price increases and poor selection. (Did I mention the poor selection? It’s very… poor. They didn’t even have distilled water on one of my visits. Not one gallon of distilled water in a whole aisle of water.) He was very nice and apologetic, and encouraged me to give them another chance. He matched QFC’s almond butter price, which I appreciated. I know this isn’t his, (or anyone else who works on the floor) fault. They probably hate it even more than we do. And we all do. In fact, bashing this store is something I’ve done with all my neighborhood friends. I haven’t met one person who actually likes it. What’s to like? Who enjoys paying more money for the exact same item?
I’ve tried to avoid Haggen’s since then, but since I live 30 seconds away by foot, it’s hard to do. (I used to pop over to Safeway four or five times a week, at LEAST.) So I’ve been back a few times, usually to grab one or two items that I forgot when I did my «real» shopping at one of the other Safeways or QFC. Every single time, I vow «NEVER AGAIN!!» It truly is mind-​boggling. What are they thinking? Renton is not a wealthy town, and there are plenty of other grocery store options around here. I went in two days ago to grab a couple boxes of organic beef broth…$ 3.99 a box, a full dollar more than they usually cost. And the store seemed so empty and cavernous. They have taken away a LOT of items. It also seemed very empty of customers. As I reluctantly parted with my money, I commented to the cashier «you seem slower,» (not without a small amount of glee, I’ll admit it) and he nodded that slow nod that says, «ohhhh yeah».
I won’t be back. Not even for a single item that I forgot. I would rather get in my car and drive to QFC or another Safeway than pop over to the very convenient Haggen’s for even one lemon. I refuse to give them any more of my money, they just don’t deserve it.

Oh… No No No No No!
Prices here are way to high!
SORRY HAGGEN, I’m just not willing to pay double or triple the regular price per item. Guess this store is all about their profits. Such a big loss to lose Safeway. :(

Thank god! As you walk in there are baskets available for shopping. The Jamba Juice is gone, looks like they will be putting in more registers.
The produce is beautiful. Organic and local stuff, well stocked and fresh. They have also redone the deli as well. I’m thrilled to see that they still have cheap Chinese food, but it looks way better than the Safeway’s did.
Starbucks is still there. So, there’s that. I saw a lot of new products I’d never seen before that looked good.
Pricing seems higher, but local stuff might be worth it. Not quite whole paycheck, but not dirt cheap either.
Also, it’s now 76 gas out front.
I’m excited to see a new grocery store come in and save us from crappy produce and grumpy employees. As long as they don’t introduce a club card, you’ll find me joyfully picking out expensive fruit and veg in Haggen!