Albertsons to Close 7 TX Stores, Restructures Fort Worth Office

The Albertsons Cos. is restructuring its Fort Worth, Texas, office, and closing three Houston-area and four Dallas-Fort Worth-area stores that have become unprofitable, local business news outlets have reported.

In the Houston area, closures include three Randalls stores: one each in The Woodlands, Sugar Land and Houston's Montrose Area, the Houston Business Journal said. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, closures include two Albertsons stores – on each in Fort Worth and DeSoto – and two Tom Thumb locations – one each in Flower Mound and Coppell, according to the Dallas Business Journal.

The stores are expected to shutter around Dec. 1. Both outlets reported that Albertsons is working to find positions for all affected employees at other stores.

As for the Fort Worth office, which also oversees the Houston market, a spokesperson did not disclose the number of workers affected, but told the Dallas Business Journal that the majority of those impacted were moved into other roles.

In other Albertsons news, the grocer just announced plans to introduce artificial intelligence and robotics into its ecommerce supply chain to automate the fulfillment process.

Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs, as well as meal-kit company Plated. Albertsons is No. 3 on Progressive Grocer's 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.