Tim Leeds Havre Daily News tleeds@havredailynews.com
SuperValu Inc. has announced that the sale of the Havre Albertsons store to Gary & Leo’s IGA has been finalized. Donna Eggers, a spokesperson for Albertsons, said the Havre store is scheduled to close May 20. Tracy Job, the manager of Gary & Leo’s, was not available for comment. Job said earlier this month that no new information was available about the sale. He said in March, when the sale was announced, that Gary & Leo’s planned to relocate to the First Street and Seventh Avenue location of the Albertsons store in late spring or early summer. The reopening would include picking up the pharmacy business of Osco Pharmacy now in Albertsons, he said. SuperValu Inc., the owner of the Albertsons chain, announced the sale and closure on March 11. In a press release issued at that time, the company said that after a careful examination of all the possible scenarios, it made the “difficult decision to sell this store.” The company also closed one of its Albertsons stores in Great Falls, with its last day April 17. Job said in March that Gary & Leo’s would hire as many Albertsons employees to work in its new location as possible. Job cited having more space in the Seventh Avenue location and being located closer to residential areas as part of the reason for Gary & Leo’s interest in the purchase. Carol Lamey, manager of the Havre Job Service Work Force Center, said her office has been in contact with the Albertsons employees since the sale was announced to let them know what the center could do for them. “We’ve had several meetings over there,” she said. “Any time a business closes we go over and talk to them about what we can do right off the bat.” She said the Job Service has many services available to the Albertsons employees, including services through the Dislocated Worker Program, funded through the Workforce Investment Act. That program offers aid including retraining for new jobs.
