Over the Labor Day weekend I visited Tillamook. While there, I noticed Safeway vacated their longtime (1970's era?) store on Highway 101, and there are labelscars from the round S as well as the square S visible. I noticed also several nearby businesses had closed such as an old KFC, and a Dairy Queen which looks more recent, as the signs are still up. I also noticed that a strip mall across highway 101 was in the process of being raised, I assume due to flooding concerns. Portland TV often showed shots of flooding in front of this Safeway, and made me wonder if that was the main reason Safeway moved. It doesn't seem like Safeway to move from a very visible location like that which had room to expand.
Also, I found the new Safeway, which is actually on a side street off of 101 (I do not remember the name of the street) and on higher ground. One thing about the new store I found interesting. The store pretty much occupies an entire block, with the parking lot taking up the block directly in front. However, the street actually still runs directly between the store and parking lot. I have never seen a Safeway store set up this way. Knowing that Safeway built many stores in towns, I got to wondering if, historically, any other Safeways located inside of cities were ever built where they had this arrangement. In a small town like Tillamook I could see where it can work, but this seems like an accident waiting to happen in a larger town.
Safeway in Tillamook, Oregon
Moderator: Groceteria