Bankruptcy Court approves sale of 47 Haggen stores, including 11 in Washington

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved the sale of 47 Bellingham-based Haggen stores, which include 11 in Washington state.

Smart & Final was approved to buy stores in Laguna Niguel, Diamond Bar, Burbank and San Diego’s University Avenue. Markets is purchasing a Haggen store in Simi Valley.

Albertsons will be the brand for ex-Haggen stores in Puyallup; Milton, Pierce County; First Ave.

Commerce-based Super A Foods, which operates eight locations throughout Southern California, will take over 2400 Las Posas Road in Camarillo. None of the three stores in Phoenix, two in Prescott or the one in Flagstaff, received bids.

Haggen opted to purchase and convert 83 Albertsons, Vons and Pavilion stores, but the Washington state grocery chain struggled and ultimately filed for bankruptcy in September. Later that month, the company filed for bankruptcy protection and asked the court for permission to begin closing stores, including all shops in Arizona.

The Federal Trade Commission required Albertsons to get rid of the store, formerly a Vons, earlier this year when Albertsons acquired Safeway, parent company of Vons.

Haggen is still looking for buyers for most of its remaining stores.

None of the stores were among Haggen’s 32 core stores the grocer plans to keep.