Randalls shuttering its grocery in Bellaire
An underperforming Randalls grocery store in Bellaire will soon close, the grocery chain’s parent company confirmed Wednesday.
The liquidation process began Wednesday, a spokeswoman said, and the store, at 5130 Bellaire, will close by Feb. 20.
“In such a competitive environment, our company must sometimes make the tough decision to close an underperforming store so that we can reinvest in our remaining stores in the marketplace,” said Christy Lara, the company’s regional director of public relations.
Randalls, a unit of Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos., had already closed a dozen Houstonarea stores in recent years, including five stores in 2020. With the pending closure it will be down to 16 stores in the market. Once a leading upscale supermarket chain, the longtime Houston grocer has struggled in recent years to compete with regional and national chains offering lower prices and wider selections.
The Bellaire store is the only one impacted at this time, Lara said. H-E-B opened a two-story supermarket across the street in 2018, but the company did not
answer questions about the role that may have played in suppressing sales.
Pharmacy prescriptions will be transferred to the Randalls at 5586 Weslayan, Lara said.
“We are working diligently to place as many employees as possible in other locations, and we remain committed to the Houston market area,” she said. The store has 67 employees.