Work continues on the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurant in Holbrook. The construction is anticipated to be complete in the next one to two weeks, with the businesses ready to open to the public by the end of October.
“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose,” usually translated as “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” is an often quoted phrase originally coined by 18th century French critic, journalist and novelist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr.
One could easily conclude that Karr might have pondered a second opinion on a recent visit to Holbrook, as he and residents today will have noticed that some of the city’s longtime retail anchors have undergone substantial metamorphoses beginning this year.
One such change began at the top of the year, when AB Acquisition LLC, owner of the Albertson’s chain of supermarkets, announced the completion of its proposed merger with Safeway Inc. in late January. “The merger will create a diversified network that includes 2,230 stores, 27 distribution facilities and 19 manufacturing plants with over 250,000 employees across 34 states and the District of Columbia,” according to a Safeway Inc. press release.
Holbrook citizens have, no doubt, noticed some of the renovation activity going on at the city’s West Hopi Drive Safeway location, including the recent resurfacing of the store’s parking lot. The Tribune-News contacted Safeway Southwest Region Public Affairs and Communications representatives last week for an update on changes that may be expected at the Holbrook store, but a response was not received by press time.
However, company officials reported to The Tribune-News in March 2014, prior to the merger, “You can continue to rely on your local store to provide you with the same quality service you have come to know and love,” per a statement posted on the company’s website at the time.
The Tribune-News report also noted that, “Company officials also stated that there are no current plans to merge brands and that Safeway stores will continue to operate under that brand name,” quoting Albertson’s media representative Christine Wilcox as confirming “…this transaction does not mean there will no longer be Safeway stores. Safeway has been around since 1915, 24 years longer than Albertson’s, and they have strong brands and great stores throughout our market areas, and we have no plans to change their names.”
More conspicuously seen in the works has been the closure, deconstruction and rebuild of the Taco Bell restaurant in the city’s north end. The restaurant’s regional management company, Desert De Oro Foods Inc., closed the former location in July in a revamp of its franchise portfolio.
The Kingman-based company added a northern Arizona district to its roster in 1999 with the acquisition of seven restaurants in the White Mountains area.
The remodel marks a sort of rebirth for the Pizza Hut marquee, which is reportedly in the midst of attempting to rebrand itself as a more viable fast-casual dining concept with greater menu variety.
Chris Brady, director of communications and public relations for Desert De Oro Foods Inc., explained that eager city residents and visitors can tentatively expect the redesigned complex to reopen for business by the end of October, along with some pleasant surprises. “There’s going to be something new as well. They’re looking at doing something innovative with Pizza Hut called a Slice Bar, where folks will now be able to order pizza by the slice,” he said.
Brady confirmed that the Pizza Hut restaurant currently operating at 2001 Navajo Boulevard will close operations within the same time frame.
Rumors have also circulated, hinting at the arrival of other franchises to the area, such as Walgreens and a proposed Holiday Inn Express hotel, initially teased by signage to have completed construction at its Navajo Blvd. lot by spring 2014.
City Manager Ray Alley said that the Holiday Inn project never came to fruition due to a loss of corporate funding for the venture. InterContinental Hotels Group, the parent company of the Holiday Inn brand family, was unavailable to provide official comment by press time.
Alley noted that the city has reached out to major retail corporations, such as Target Inc., promoting Holbrook as a site for future store outlets, but has not garnered any interest yet.
City Clerk Cher Reyes, who manages city building permits, confirmed that no applications from Walgreen Co. have been received to date.
City officials also noted that other observed and less conspicuous local businesses, such as the former Jack’s Union Station on Navajo Blvd. and the state-regulated medical marijuana cultivation facility, remain active on its books.
Work continues on the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurant in Holbrook. The construction is anticipated to be complete in the next one to two weeks, with the businesses ready to open to the public by the end of October.
