A longstanding grocery presence in north Austin will soon be no more, as Randalls at 10900 Research Blvd. is slated to shut its doors permanently on Feb. 10. The store's closure has been attributed to its failure to hit performance targets, as a spokesperson from Albertsons Companies Southern Division informed KXAN on Thursday. This decision, according to the spokesperson, is independent of the looming merger between Kroger and Randalls' parent company, Albertsons.
Sent ahead of the closure was a WARN notice, signaling the end of the road for up to 76 employees whose jobs are on the line. Filed on Jan. 4, the notice conveyed Albertsons' plans to absorb as many affected workers as possible into other Randalls stores throughout the region. This Austin store finds itself at an intersection frequented by heavyweight competitors, including H-E-B, Target, and Trader Joe's.
Despite the potential shake-up from the proposed $24.6 billion Kroger-Albertsons merger, which is currently facing scrutiny from both state and federal levels. The representative insisted to the Austin American-Statesman that the shuttering Randalls are not linked to this deal. With six other locations in Austin, alongside stores in surrounding areas such as Cedar Park and Round Rock, Randalls reaffirms its commitment to the marketplace.
The pharmacy operations within the Research Boulevard Randalls will also pack up, moving prescriptions to the Randalls on 8040 Mesa Drive. The final day for the pharmacy has not been made public, but ahead of the store's total closure, the relocation is already in the pipeline. Customers in need of grocery and pharmaceutical needs after Feb. 10 are encouraged to visit these other locations. It remains to be seen how the merger if approved, will further alter the grocery landscape where Randalls has been a familiar face for so many years.
