Akron Area Franchises Being Sold to Giant Eagle
AKRON, Ohio - Bolognue Management Co., based here, will sell six of its Giant Eagle franchises outright to the Pittsburgh-based food retailer.
In an announcement to employees Thursday, company President Joseph Bolognue said the change will take effect officially Sunday. Bolognue Management converted its Apples grocery stores to Giant Eagle franchises two years ago.
Shoppers should not notice a difference, and all of the approximately 1,300 employees will keep their jobs through the transition, he said. Most of the stores' employees are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 880.
Bolognue's Giant Eagle stores are in Canal Fulton, Barberton, Springfield Township, Stow, North Canton and Tallmadge.
Three Apples stores, unrelated to the Bolognue stores and owned by a different company, remain in the area.
"We have been extremely comfortable in our partnership with Giant Eagle," said Bolognue. "My trust was very well placed, and the way they run their business is the way we run ours -- with care."
Bolognue said the sale of the stores will allow him to pursue other business interests, although he declined to say what those pursuits may be.
Bolognue Management Co., which began as Firestone Star Market Co. in 1966 with a single Sparkle Supermarket, expanded in the early 1990s, moving into some former Carl's stores in Akron, Tallmadge and Canton.
In an announcement to employees Thursday, company President Joseph Bolognue said the change will take effect officially Sunday. Bolognue Management converted its Apples grocery stores to Giant Eagle franchises two years ago.
Shoppers should not notice a difference, and all of the approximately 1,300 employees will keep their jobs through the transition, he said. Most of the stores' employees are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 880.
Bolognue's Giant Eagle stores are in Canal Fulton, Barberton, Springfield Township, Stow, North Canton and Tallmadge.
Three Apples stores, unrelated to the Bolognue stores and owned by a different company, remain in the area.
"We have been extremely comfortable in our partnership with Giant Eagle," said Bolognue. "My trust was very well placed, and the way they run their business is the way we run ours -- with care."
Bolognue said the sale of the stores will allow him to pursue other business interests, although he declined to say what those pursuits may be.
Bolognue Management Co., which began as Firestone Star Market Co. in 1966 with a single Sparkle Supermarket, expanded in the early 1990s, moving into some former Carl's stores in Akron, Tallmadge and Canton.