Two local grocery stores bought out by Haggen

Two local grocery stores are getting a new owner and a new name. A pacific northwest chain is coming to the desert.

What’s in a name? That which we call a grocery store, by any other name, would be as convenient, right?

Well soon you’ll be calling the Vons in Palm Desert on Highway 111 and Pavilions on Bob Hope in Rancho Mirage, Haggen.

The pacific northwest company is expanding into the southwest, with federal trade commission approval, expanding from 18 stores to 146, 2,000 employees to 10,000.

“It’s going to be a family-owned corporation and I like that. Personable instead of a big corporation takeover where customers get left out in the cold,” said shopper Mark Allen.

The signs may change, but the faces inside likely won’t. Haggen plans to keep the store managers the same, and employees have the opportunity to sign on as well.

“As long as they are able to maintain the integrity of the store, keep putting new products on the shelves that us consumers want and keep the prices down like we want, things should be fine,” said Haggen

It’s the latest in a $7.6 billion sellout of the Safeway food chain.

You’ll start seeing changes in the first half of 2015.

Both store managers had no comment.

For more information about Haggen click here.